Photographing Chicago's gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

See more images from “Too Young to Die” here.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

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Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.

Chicago gang violence

Photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz grew up in Chicago and was so affected by the young people dying around him, he decided to document the death toll. Over the last six years, Ortiz has taken more than 20,000 photographs that depict the stark reality of street violence and those most affected by it.

Carlos Javier Ortiz’s reporting was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Chicago Community Trust via the Community Media Workshop.