CNN’s Ted Rowlands was permitted to ride along with two 26-year veteran Chicago police officers to document what happens nightly in the deadly neighborhood of Englewood. Here is a video preview of what he saw
According to the Chicago Tribune, so far there have been 38 homicides in the city this month and at least 346 homicides for 2012. That’s up from 265 during the same period last year, an increase of about 31 percent.
Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy has implemented a 3-pronged plan to try to combat the violence: hold gang members in custody for longer periods of time, take back specific street corners where drugs are being sold, and use gang information to predict and prevent retaliation killings.
Chicago’s overall crime rate is down 10 percent since 2011, but the murder problem is concentrated in a few specific areas.
Rowlands called the ride along an “eye opening, that's for sure.”
“Its almost a constant shatter on the radio of shots fired. I mean its unbelievable, you're sitting in that squad car and it's shots fired on 10th street, shots fired over here, shots fired over here.”
Tonight Ted Rowlands has an up close look at the fight to save lives in Chicago. The report airs at 8 and 10 p.m. ET.
Update: Watch his report here