Sharon Cohen

In the first three months, more than 140 people were killed. The number of shootings approached 700 — nearly 90 percent higher than a year earlier. On the day Jonathan was hit, eight other people were shot. By fall, the number of homicide victims approached 600; total shootings exceeded 3,000. The number of dead and wounded each weekend turned into a staple of Monday morning newscasts, a portrait of bloodshed on the city streets that seemed more like a tally of battlefield casualties. Police say the overwhelming majority of shootings are tied to gangs. A flood of weapons also contributes to the chaos. On average, Chicago police seize one illegal gun every 61 minutes.