Gripped By Protests, Chicago Police Report Spike In Homicides

04:02

March 02, 2016

Chicago police collect evidence at a home where six people were found slain on the city's Southwest Side on February 4, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. Last month Chicago recorded 51 homicides, the highest toll for the month since at least 2000. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The first two months of the year were unusually deadly in Chicago. There were nearly twice as many homicides compared with the same period in 2015, with nearly 100 people killed.

Public scrutiny of the Chicago Police Department has been high since a court forced the release of a video showing Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times. The video contradicted official accounts of the shooting and sparked widespread public protests, as well as an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department.

Here & Now's Robin Young talks with WBEZ reporter Patrick Smith about the spike in homicides.

Guest

Patrick Smith, reporter and producer for WBEZ. He tweets @pksmid.

This segment aired on March 2, 2016.