CARNAGE IN THIS CITY. WE HELD A TOWN HALL WITH PEOPLE
WHO LIVE HERE TO ASK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE KNEW GOING IN, WE WOULD BARELY SCRATCH THE SURFACE.
WE RETURNED TO CHICAGO WEST MET FAMILIES TORN APART BY THE NEAR
CONSTANT GUN VIOLENCE IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY.
FOUND ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS LIVING IN TRAUMA.
TONIGHT WE WENT BACK TO SXHIG FOUND OUT WHY THERE ARE SO MANY
SHOOTINGS. WE FIRST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW
THERE ARE SO MANY SHOOTINGS.
>> YOU CAN ASK INTO ANY ONE OF THESE STORES AND YOU CAN BUY A
GUN ANYWHERE. ANY ONE OF THESE LITTLE CORNER
STORES." >> EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE TO GET
THEM. EVERYBODY KNOWS.
POLICE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT. >>> NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE HOW
MANY GUNS ARE ON THE STREETS OF CHICAGO.
POLICE CAN ONLY SAY HOW MANY THEY'VE TAKEN OFF THE STREETS.
8,000 IN 2016. BUT SHOOTINGS WERE STILL UP THAT
YEAR. WAY UP.
MORE THAN 4,000 PEOPLE SHOT. NEARLY 700 DEAD.
SOMEONE IS SHOT IN THIS CITY ALMOST EVERY OTHER HOUR.
>> WAS THERE EVER A MOMENT WHERE YOU FEAR FOR YOUR OWN LIFE?
>> HE GREW UP IN INGLEWOOD ON THE JAMEEL GROW
UP IN ENGELWOOD, A COMMUNITY WITH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.
AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED SO FAR THIS YEAR.
>> WHEN IS THE FIRST TIME YOU PICKED UP A GUN?
>> PROBABLY LIKE 10. TRYING TO BE LIKE EVERYBODY
ELSE. PEOPLE WITH THE NICE STUFF THAT
I SEE WITH A GUN. AND I SAW WHY THEY NEEDED THE
GUN. SO I FELT I NEEDED ONE.
>> AND A GUN IS AN EASY WAY TO MAKE YOURSELF POPULAR?
>> WELL, I'M NOT. THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY LOOK UP TO
THE PERSON WITH THE GUN. >> THE PERSON WHO CAN DO --
THAT'S A FORM OF POWER. >> AROUND HERE YOU AIN'T NOBODY
UNTIL YOU KILL SOMEBODY. >> DO YOU GET THE SENSE THAT
GROWING UP IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT YOU WERE PULLED INTO THE
STREET, CALLED INTO THE STREET? >> IT WAS LIKE IF I DO IT, IF I
BE LESS LIKELY FOR MY BROTHER TO DO IT.
>> AUBURN GRESHAM, 27 PEOPLE WERE KILLED LAST YEAR, AT LEAST
14 PEOPLE THIS YEAR. JOE WASHINGTON GREW UP ON THESE
STREETS. SURVIVED BEING SHOT FIVE TIMES.
HE'S NOW TRYING TO STOP KIDS FROM TURNING TO VIOLENCE.
>> WHEN WE CAME ALONG IT WASN'T LIKE, YOU KNOW, SHOOTING FROM
ACROSS THE STREET. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU GET YOUR
MAN. YOU KNOW, OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW.
THAT'S HOW I CAME ALONG. >> NOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE --
>> MAN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SHOOTING FROM WAY OVER THERE AND
THEY'RE HITTING INNOCENT PEOPLE, MAN.
IT'S CRAZY. >> WITH THOUSANDS OF GUNS ON THE
STREETS, INDIVIDUAL DISPUTES TURN DEADLY FAST, LEAVING ENTIRE
NEIGHBORHOODS IN CHICAGO TRAPPED IN A BLOODY CYCLE OF
RETALIATION. ONE OF THESE DISPUTES STARTED
TWO YEARS AGO IN AUGUST, A GANG MEMBER WAS FOUND SHOT IN HIS
CAR. RETRIBUTION CAME IN OCTOBER, A
RIFLE GANG MEMBER SHOT IN A DRIVE BY, HIS MOTHER WAS LEFT
BADLY INJURED. IN RETALIATION FOR THAT, A
19-YEAR-OLD GIRL WAS KILLED IN THE CROSS FIRE AND THEN TAYE
SHAUN LEE. >> THIS IS A NEW LOW FOR THE
CITY. >> HE WAS 9 YEARS OLD.
GOT CAUGHT UP WITH HIS DADDY'S ACTIVITIES, YOU KNOW, IN THE
STREETS. AND YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A NEW
KIND OF KILLING TO ME, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS SOMEBODY KILLING A KID
LIKE THAT. >> LEE WAS DELIBERATELY
TARGETED. LURED INTO AN ALLEYWAY AND
EXECUTED. IN RETRIBUTION, HIS FATHER
ALLEGEDLY SHOT THREE PEOPLE. >> HOW MANY OF THOSE DO WE HAVE
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAVE ONE SITUATION THAT'S A
STREAM OF SIX SHOOTINGS. HOW MANY OTHER STREAMS OF BEEF
DO YOU HAVE? >> WE HAVE, RIGHT NOW I CAN
COUNT THAT WE DO HAVE LIKE FOUR THAT'S GOING ON.
FOUR THAT WE'RE KEEPING OR PULSE ON.
FOUR SITUATIONS THAT'S REALLY HOT THAT CAN BLOW UP ANY MINUTE.
>> EVEN IF THE GUNS ARE HERE, SOMEONE HAS TO PULL THE TRIGGER.
AND YOUR JOB IS TO GET THEM NOT TO PICK THE GUN UP.
>> AUDREY FILL PHILLIPS TRIES TO STOP THE VIOLENCE IN THE
STREETS. >> IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD OF
ENGELWOOD AND SPOTS ACROSS THE CITY, THERE'S GREAT NEED.
THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN DEPLETED FOR A LONG TIME.
SOME WOULD SAY STARVED. WHAT DO THE COMMUNITIES NEED IN.
>> WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS LACKING IS HOPE.
YOU TALK ABOUT TRYING TO INSTILL HOPE INTO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
LIVING IN A COMMUNITY OR IN A SITUATION WHERE IT'S HOPELESS.
WHERE THE MEN IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE UNEMPLOYED.
THE WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE UNDEREMPLOYED.
WE'RE EXPERIENCING OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THERE ARE FLOURISHING IN
OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY WHICH IS A GREAT CITY.
BUT MY ONLY THING IS THIS. WHY CAN'T IT BE A GREAT CITY
ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY. THE VIOLENCE IN MY HUMBLE
OPINION IS ALL CONNECTED TO THE OPPORTUNITY.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH VIOLENCE IN THE AFFLUENT
COMMUNITIES. WHY?
BECAUSE THEY HAVE RESOURCES THAT WE DON'T HAVE.
EVERY INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY SHOULD HAVE ONE PLACE WHERE ALL
OF THE KIDS COULD FEEL SAFE. >> DO THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE
THOSE PLACES NOW? >> THERE ARE SOME PLACES.
BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE GANG LINES.
I'M JUST BEING HONEST. THERE ARE GANG LINES THAT SOME
GROUPS CANNOT GO OVER. THAT'S AN UNFORTUNATE REALITY.
>> A WHOLE BUNCH OF KIDS ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
GO OVER THERE BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS.
>> IT'S DANGEROUS. UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE THAT IN
OUR SOCIETY. >> DO YOU EVER GET TIRED OR
WEARY OF THE DAY-TO-DAY GUN VIOLENCE, THE BLOODSHED.
DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, IT'S NOT ENOUGH?
>> YOU KNOW, ON THE MAPS IN OUR OFFICE WE HAVE POINTERS WHERE WE
CAN SHOW YOU WHERE THE INDIVIDUALS GOT SHOT.
BUT WHATT WHAT WE CAN'T SHOW YO THE CHANGING OF SOMEONE'S MIND
TO GO TO SCHOOL. EVERY NOW AND THEN WE GET THAT
ONE YOUTH THAT'S GOING TO TURN HIS LIFE AROUND.
THAT'S WHAT KEEPS US GOING. >> WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO
COMMUNITIES LIKE THIS IF WE DON'T GET IT IN ORDER.
>> WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE AN EVER LASTING LOOP OF CHAOS.
IT'S UP TO US, AS A COMMUNITY, AS A COLLECTIVE TO SHOW THEM,
MOLD THEIR MINDS TO WHAT'S THE NEXT BEST THING.
I THINK IF PEOPLE HAD MORE STUFF TO LOSE, THEY WOULD BE BE QUICK
TO RETALIATE. YEAH, SOMEBODY DID SOMETHING TO
MY PEOPLE BUT I'M GOING TO LOSE MY JOB, MY HOUSE, I'M GOING TO
LOSE MY GIRLFRIEND, I'M GOING TO LOSE MY LIFE IF I RETALIATE.
>> DO WE THINK WE CAN GET OUT OF IT YES.
NOT JUST GET OURSELF OUT OF IT BUT ALSO GIVING BACK.
>> LIKE WE'RE ALL TRYING TO GET EACH OTHER TO RISE ABOVE WHERE
WE COME FROM INSTEAD OF BEING A PRODUCT OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
WE MIGHT GET SOMEWHERE. >> JOINING ME YOU.
MSNBC NATIONAL REPORTER TREMAINE LEE.
A PHENOMENAL PIECE. THANK YOU FOR DOING IT.
ONE THING I WANT TO FOCUS IS ON IS THE CHAINS OF CAUSATION.
THAT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PUZZLE, THESE ARE THESE
REPERCUSSIONS. WE SEE THIS THROUGHOUT HISTORY
IN A MILLION DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS WHEN THE LAW IS NOT
PROVIDING JUSTICE, THAT PEOPLE TAKE THE LAW IN THEIR OWN HANDS,
THE HATFIELDS AND McCOYS. HOW DO YOU INTERRUPT THAT.
>> I'VE HEARD IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN WHERE THEY SAID I'D RATHER
BE JUDGED BY 12 THAN CARRIED BY SIX.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE GETTING KILLED, PEOPLE FEEL THE SENSE THAT THEY
NEED TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR BROTHER,
SISTER, SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY WERE KILLED, THE POLICE AREN'T
THERE, YOU GO DEFEND YOURSELF. WE TEND TO JUDGE PEOPLE WITHOUT
RESPECT TO THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES. THEY'RE OUT THERE IN THE
COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY AS OUTREACH WORKERS TRYING TO
EMPOWER PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS.
THEY HAVE CHANGED FROM YEARS' PAST.
THEY WOULD BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU MIGHT NOT RECOGNIZE THEM
FROM BACK THEN TO TODAY. WHEN WE DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT HOW
CAN WE HELP THEM EMPOWER THEMSELVES TO HELP THEIR
COMMUNITIES. THAT'S MISSED ALL OF THIS.
THE CHAIN OF CAUSATION, THE FLOW OF ILLEGAL GUNS, THE LACK OF
TRUE CRIMINAL JUSTICE. POLICE AREN'T GETTING HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR SHOOTING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITIE AND THE CYCLE
CONTINUES ON AND ON. >> THE ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTION,
I STILL REMEMBER THE MOMENT WHEN YOU AND I WERE IN THE TOWN HALL
AND SOMEONE ASKED WHAT THE CLEARANCE RATE WAS FOR THE CPD
ON HOMICIDES AND EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE YELLED OUT WHAT THE
CLENS RATE IS. IT'S AROUND 40% OR 45%.
QUITE LOW. BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER AND UNDER THE
CONDITIONS OF WHICH PEOPLE ARE GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER, PEOPLE
FEEL NO PROTECTION FROM THE STATE FOR THEIR FRIENDS AND
LOVED ONE. >> THERE'S A SENSE OF NO
PROTECTION BUT THERE'S ALSO THE SENSE OF WHO CARES.
WE'VE BEEN WRESTLING WITH THE IDEA OF THE BLACK LIFE.
DO BLACK LIVES ACTUALLY MATTER. AND IN MANY COMMUNITIES THEY
SEEM NOT TO MATTER. LAST YEAR IT WAS CLOSERER FROM
THE POLICE STANDPOINT 26% TO 29%.
THAT MEANS BETWEEN 70% AND 80% OF THE KILLERS ARE WALKING FREE.
THAT'S TROUBLING NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE
ACTIVE SHOOTERS AND KILLERS WALKING AROUND FREE BUT THE
SENSE THAT THE POLICE AREN'T THERE TO SAVE ME, NO ONE IS
THERE TO SAVE ME. >> DO YOU SEE CHANGES IN THE WAY
THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT THE GROUND LEVEL.
IT'S REALLY WOWORRISOME. IS THERE A SENSE THAT THERE'S A
TURNING POINT HERE? >> THERE ISN'T.
TO MANY PEOPLE YOU TALK TO, THERE'S A SENSE OF RESIGNATION,
THIS NORMALCY THAT THIS IS THE WAY IT IS.
AS WE MENTIONED IN OUR LAST PIECE ABOUT TRAUMA AND THE
IMPACT OF GUN VIOLENCE, IT REPLICATES ITSELF.
IN THE COMMUNITIES PEOPLE ARE THERE WANTING CHANGE, WANTING
HELP, THINK KNOW THERE ARE ILLEGAL GUNS, THEY KNOW THE
POLICE AREN'T STOPPING THE SHOOTINGS, THEY ALL KNOW WHERE
TO GET THE GUNS. THERE'S A SENSE THAT NO ONE
CARES, IT'S BUSINESS AND USUAL, EVEN THOUGH IN THE COMMUNITY
IT'S NOT AS IF EVERYONE IS A CRIMINAL.
EVEN THOUGH SO MANY OF US WITH CRIMINALIZED THE COMMUNITIES.