A Chicago video has been released that allegedly shows a gunman opening fire point-blank at a group of police officers during a traffic stop.
The event was on June 5th in the West Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. The suspect in the video is 27-year-old Jerome Halsey, who is now facing attempted murder and aggravated assault charges.
Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability released the footage. It shows a silver Toyota Camry turning on to a dead-end street before the officers traveling in an SUV pull up to its rear.
The officers then exit the SUV and it looks like one of them is attempting to pull out his weapon. When the officers approach the car Halsey "exited the vehicle with a handgun and discharged the handgun at the officers, striking one of them," according to an arrest report.
Check out the video:
One of the officers returned fire at Halsey, who was taken from the scene and into custody.
Halsey was struck in the body and can later be seen taken away in an ambulance.
Officer Erik Moreno is the officer who was hit with bullets. After the shooting he was in the hospital for about a week.
How did Jerome Halsey, now charged with shooting a CPD officer, have a FOID and CCL despite gun conviction? https://t.co/eb5uSNvfA9 pic.twitter.com/Pt3GnNwE11
— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) June 8, 2022
Is Chicago Proof Gun Control Doesn't Work?
That's a loaded question and one that the answer depends on who you ask. There are plenty of factors to consider when answering such a question, including but not limited to: the city's history with gun violence, the current state of gun control measures in the city, and how effective those measures have been proven to be in other cities.
That said, there is no denying that Chicago has a serious problem with gun violence. In 2016, the city saw more than 4,000 shooting incidents and 762 murders – both of which were record highs. And so far in 2017, the city is on pace to exceed those numbers once again.
There are a number of theories as to why gun violence is so prevalent in Chicago, but one of the most commonly cited is the city's strict gun control measures. Critics argue that these measures have only served to make it harder for law-abiding citizens to obtain firearms, while doing little to nothing to stop criminals from getting their hands on them.
It's an argument that's difficult to refute, but it's also worth noting that Chicago is far from the only city with strict gun control measures in place. New York City, for example, has some of the most stringent gun laws in the country, yet its murder rate is still much lower than Chicago's.
So, is Chicago proof that gun control doesn't work? It's really had to make a case otherwise.
