Illinois Governor JB Pritzker recently faced tough questions about Chicago’s high murder rate during an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier. The discussion took place on Thursday evening, and it highlighted the ongoing crime issues in the city, which is often ranked among the most dangerous in the United States.
During the interview, Pritzker initially claimed that Chicago was not among the top 30 cities in terms of murder rates. However, Baier presented a map showing that Chicago’s murder rate stands at 17.47 per 100,000 people, which is higher than those of major cities like Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, and San Diego.
In response to the statistics, Pritzker acknowledged the data but pointed out that the murder rate had halved over the past four years. While this claim is accurate, it’s important to note that the drop mirrors a nationwide trend in reduced homicide rates since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many cities across the country have seen similar declines, which may not be directly linked to Pritzker’s policies.
The current homicide rate in Chicago is slightly better than it was in 2019, when it was recorded at 18.9 per 100,000 people. Despite this improvement, Pritzker did not mention the broader national crime trends during the interview. Instead, he emphasized his administration’s efforts to tackle crime through community violence interruption programs and increased funding for police.
Pritzker stated, "We’ve been doing the things that are necessary to bring crime down," highlighting investments in both community programs and law enforcement. He noted that he has added more state police officers than any governor in recent years.
This interview comes amid ongoing tensions between Pritzker and former President Donald Trump, who has been vocal about crime in major cities. Trump’s anti-crime agenda has included efforts to strengthen law enforcement, but it has faced challenges in areas with Democratic leadership, where local police have been reluctant to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
As Chicago continues to grapple with its crime challenges, Pritzker’s comments reflect a complex landscape where statistics and public safety efforts are closely scrutinized.
