In auto racing, Indianapolis is legendary for the Indy 500. Indianapolis and many other cities continue to struggle with a race of a different kind – murders. It should be noted that Indianapolis has had a bad year. Already, as of 12 December, 258 people have been murdered in that city. This year’s Indy murder count is 13 more than 2020’s full-year total, and 25 more than a year ago on this date. Here in Chicago, this city is a day or so away from topping its 2020 full-year total. In fact, the Chicago 800 is underway. Such is a deadly race to see whether this year’s Chicago murder count stays under, hits, or exceeds 800.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
A Quick Look at the Numbers
Officially, as midnight, through 12 December 2021, Chicago’s year-to-date murder count stands at 767. That count is up 4% from the 739 recorded through 12 December 2020. [It bears noting that 2020 was a leap year, and had an extra day to get to 739 murders by 12 December.]
To be clear, Secure 1776 prays that the city never experiences another murder. But, like many, we fear Chicago’s violence problem will continue it’s deadly race up to and beyond 31 December 2021.
As of 12 December, 346 days have been counted in 2021. Through yesterday, Chicago’s official murder count stood at 767.
To stay under 800 murders for a full-year 2021 count, the city cannot add more than 32 murders.
As of Sunday, this year the city has averaged 2.2 murder per day.
Counting today, 13 December, there are 19 days remaining in 2021. Sadly, the city remains on a pace to reach the 800 murders. To stay under this count, the average over these 19 days cannot be higher than 1.7 murders per day. It bears noting, that there were 32 murders during the period of 13 through 31 December 2020.
The Deadly Race and Losing
Back on 6 September 2021, we discussed the race Chicago was already losing, in our post “Groundhog Day in Hadleyville: Lawless and Violent.” We drew upon two movies to make a key point. The first, the 1993 film, “Groundhog Day,” a comedy set in a peaceful community that takes local pride in its annual celebration of Groundhog Day. In that film, Bill Murray’s character relives the same Groundhog Day, each day, for a very long time. Hadleyville, as we have discussed here many times, is the setting for the film, “High Noon.” What we continue to see in Chicago is what we described as a tragedy on par of “Groundhog Day in Hadleyville.” Hadleyvilles are lawless and violent places where gunman feel comfortable roaming the streets. 800 murders sounds like a headline befitting a Hadleyville.
What will Chicago’s headlines read on 1 January 2022? They will likely not be good. There is only one way that the headlines could proclaim a “win” for the city over these next 19 days. A murder-free rest of December. That would be an incredible gift worthy of Christmas.
What is it that Chicago does not need, and what do we at Secure 1776 not want to see or hear? Any claim of a “victory lap” by this city’s elected officials, if the count manages to stay under 800.
Almighty Lord – Chicago is in need of a miracle.
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