Chicago community organization helping victims of gun violence
CHICAGO (CBS) — Chicago police said more than 100 people were shot, and 19 of them died over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, but one group responding to some shootings is helping with therapy and job placement for victims of gun violence.
They were inside hospitals, speaking with family members of those who were shot and working in collaboration with other organizations. Jason Little is an outreach leader with CRED.
CRED, which stands for Create Real Economic Destiny, was founded by former Chicago Public Schools head Arne Duncan. He also served as the U.S. Secretary of Education.
The group provides therapy, job placement services, and programming for men who are at high risk of committing crimes or becoming victims of gun violence.
Over the holiday weekend, they responded to shootings similar to this one: A man and a woman were shot in the South Loop, and it happened in the 100 block of East 21st Street.
They were walking on a sidewalk when an SUV approached them, and someone inside fired shots toward them.
The 26-year-old man was taken to Northwestern Hospital, where he later died. The woman was listed in good condition.
"To wake up and see one hundred plus people shot since the 4th of July weekend, it's heartbreaking because we have to think about the trauma that goes along with being shot. We think about families," Little said.
Little said they also work in collaboration with the hospital if there's a shooting, such as Sunday, when three men were shot outside of the University of Chicago Medical Center.