Mayor Lightfoot meets with Police Supt. Johnson after most violent weekend of year in Chicago

CHICAGO (FOX 32) - Mayor Lightfoot says Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson’s job is not in jeopardy, despite an alarming number of shootings over the weekend.

The mayor held a closed-door meeting with the superintendent and his top aides late Monday afternoon. 

“We cannot lose the streets, and that's not going to happen on my watch,” said Mayor Lightfoot.

Mayor Lightfoot says she still has great confidence in Police Supt. Johnson, after the most violent weekend in Chicago this year. 52 people were shot and eight of them died. 

The mayor summoned Johnson and top police brass to the fifth floor for what she calls an accountability Monday. 

“What I said to them in the opening was, if they're not going to bed every night and waking up every morning worrying and having a sense of urgency and asking themselves what more they can personally do to fight crime and stem the violence in our city, they're in the wrong job,” said Mayor Lightfoot.

Police blamed much of the weekend’s violence on gang-related drug wars, and a criminal justice system, which keeps putting gun offenders back on the streets. 

“We know who a lot of these people are,” said Supt. Johnson. “And how do we know that? Because we keep arresting them over and over and over and over again.”

CPD says that of the 19 people arrested on gun charges over the weekend, 11 are already back on the street, even though six had previous gun convictions. The mayor says one option she is not looking at, is bringing in the National Guard.

“No, that's never happening in Chicago,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “We don't need the National Guard here.”

The meeting lasted just over an hour, with no indications afterward what changes are ahead for the summer.