Carjackings during 2020 rose to more than double what was witnessed during 2019 in Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s (D) Chicago.
The Chicago Tribune reported carjackings surged 135 percent, with 1,415 carjackings in 2020 versus 603 in 2019.
The report noted that police indicate mask mandates played a role in the higher carjackings, suggesting the wearing of masks for coronavirus “[enables] criminals to conceal their faces without raising alarm.”
On December 3, 2020, retired Chicago firefighter Dwain Williams was shot and killed while trying to stop suspects from carjacking his vehicle. The Daily Mail reported 65-year-old Williams was trying to prevent his Jeep Cherokee from being stolen when he was shot in the abdomen. Four suspects fled the scene, at least three of whom have since been apprehended.
Expressway shootings were also up in 2020, as compared to 2019. On December 7, 2020, NBC 5 indicated that the number of expressway shootings in Chicago had reached 115, whereas there were a total
