Alderwoman speaks out after second shooting near Senn high school in past year
CHICAGO — Just months after a Senn high School student was shot and killed, the Edgewater community is on high alert after two other students were shot Thursday afternoon.
“We don’t want to normalize this. We can’t have this anymore,” said Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th Ward). “The community is very frustrated, I’m very frustrated — To have another incident with gun people and guns on our streets in Edgewater…
“Kids should be able to go from their homes to ride public transit or walk in our streets to school and back without fearing for their lives.”
Police said two teens were walking near Senn High School, when someone opened fire from a vehicle in a drive-by shooting.
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Two teens — one 16 years old and the other 18 years old — were both shot twice and taken to St. Francis Hospital in good condition.
The shooting marks the second time this year that Senn High School students have been the victims of shootings.
In a letter to parents, Senn High School’s principal said:
“I know this news is incredibly concerning and difficult, especially because our community is still processing the shooting that impacted us earlier this year. If your child is struggling with this news or voices any fears or concerns to you, please let us know.”
Manaa-Hoppenworth reiterated the Edgewater community’s intent to make sure incidents like Thursday’s shooting don’t become commonplace.
The 48th Ward alderwoman said the ward has increased patrols from the Chicago Police Department in recent weeks, but said more needs to be done than that. She also called on city and community leaders to take a holistic approach to public safety by incorporating housing, healthcare and after school programs into the equation.
“This is something that we don’t want to normalize,” Manaa-Hoppenworth said. “We don’t live in a ward where gun violence happens multiple times every night … We’ve got to be thinking about public safety in ways that are more expansive than what we’ve been thinking about in the past.”
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