’54 Shot, 7 Dead’: Sweatpants-Clad JB Pritzker Confronted By Reporter About Deadly Labor Day Weekend In Chicago

Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker downplayed the recurring violent crime running rampant in Chicago on Monday after dozens were shot over the weekend.

At least 54 people were shot and seven were killed over Labor Day weekend in Chicago, according to NBC 5 Chicago. The governor told NBC 5 Chicago reporter Mary Ann Ahern that “big cities have crime” and that the focus should be on President Donald Trump’s “targeting” Chicago.

“You’re going to hear people, especially after this past weekend, 54 shot, seven dead, they’re going to say the city’s not safe. Would you ask your friends to the L after midnight, or after nine o’clock at night even to come down to the city from around here?” Ahern asked.

“Look, big cities have crime,” Pritzker said. “There’s no doubt about it. But let’s just pay attention to what President Trump is doing targeting Chicago. He’s overlooking red states that have much higher crime rates, much higher.”

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Trump said during an Aug. 22 press conference that he will likely deploy the National Guard to Chicago to combat violent crime throughout the area. The number of homicides in the city reached a 25-year high in 2021 and have remained significantly higher than the numbers recorded in the last decade, The Chicago Tribune reported.