Dozens Shot, Five Officers Injured in Chicago Memorial Day Weekend Violence

Chicago’s summer season began with a surge of violence over the Memorial Day weekend, as five police officers were injured and dozens of people were shot and wounded across the city.

The incidents included a chaotic scene at Loomis and Roosevelt, where hundreds of people gathered overnight, blocking traffic. As Chicago Police officers moved to disperse the crowd just before 3:00 a.m., a vehicle drove into the group, striking multiple officers before crashing into a squad car, a pole, and a fence. The five injured officers were taken to the hospital and listed in fair condition.

Police took an 18-year-old driver into custody. A weapon was recovered at the scene.

Police Union President condemned the incident, noting that officers had gathered earlier to honor fallen Officer Enrique Martinez, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop in 2024. The union leader stated that the administration needs to do more to protect officers, adding that the five officers struck by the vehicle were “lucky to be alive.”

“A vehicle is a deadly weapon,” the union president said. “Officers are entitled to shoot into that car that was coming at them but they didn’t.”

At the same time, a mass shooting occurred in the Little Village neighborhood. Police reported hearing gunfire around 3:00 a.m. in the 2500 block of South Washington. Officers found three females and one male suffering gunshot wounds. The victims, all teenagers ranging in age from 14 to 18, were transported to Mount Sinai Hospital and listed in good condition. Additional teens were reportedly in the area when the shooting happened, but the offender fled.

Chicago Police canceled officers’ days off as part of a summer safety strategy to increase patrols.

Superintendent Larry Snelling had predicted the weekend could be challenging.

“We want to make sure that we’re out here to stop people from being harmed,” Snelling said. “That’s the most important thing. We want to make sure that people are safe. They can enjoy our city… This is a beautiful city. We want to make sure that people can enjoy it.”

Authorities said they were monitoring social media and deploying extra patrols in public spaces to protect youth. Both the mayor and Superintendent Snelling urged parents to know where their children are, especially late at night.

Last summer was Chicago’s safest in 60 years.