Chicago faced a significant increase in violence during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, with 109 individuals being shot and 19 losing their lives in a total of 74 shooting incidents. Among the tragic incidents was the killing of 8-year-old Bryson Orr and two female relatives in a shooting in the Grand Crossing neighborhood, where two other boys, aged 5 and 7, were injured as well. Additionally, a mass shooting in Chicago's Little Italy neighborhood left eight individuals wounded, including teenagers and a 74-year-old woman, with suspects fleeing the scene after an exchange of gunfire.

Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed his condemnation of the violence in a news conference, emphasizing the detrimental impact it has on the city’s soul. He called for increased federal resources to support communities affected by the violence, urged community members to look out for each other, and emphasized the need for perpetrators to be identified. The city's Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling highlighted the challenges faced by law enforcement during celebratory periods like the Fourth of July, where heightened emotions and access to illegal firearms can lead to violent outbreaks fueled by minor disputes.