CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Father Michael Pfleger and Reverend Jesse Jackson led a march against gun violence down Michigan Avenue this afternoon – marking the end of a very violent year in Chicago.
Marchers held pictures of loved ones who’ve died or little city of Chicago flags with bullet wounds instead of stars.
Father Pfleger said the march was to remember the more than 3,700 people shot and about 800 homicides in the city in 2021.
"They had purpose and they had destiny and it was stolen from them by the epidemic of violence," he said.
Among those killed were Tenika Blackman’s nephew and cousin’s fiancé. She had planned to talk about her son Louis, who was killed in 2020 but felt moved by the fresh pain.
"I can't just think of him. All these pictures out here from this year-that hurts," she said.
Rev. Jesse Jackson urged witnesses and others to report those responsible.
"We must turn in killers," he said.
Teyonna Lofton was saddened to see little change in past year since she left for college in New Orleans. She was shot on the day she graduated from Perspectives Leadership Academy and stayed away this summer.
"I love this city and it's time we step up and work together and act like we love it too," she said. "It's time for a change. We're all here for a reason and we gonna make it happen."
Some are calling for more detectives to solve murders while others want better mental health resources and training for police in dealing with people in crisis.