A rash of shootings in Chicago this weekend left 53 people injured and nine dead. According to the Chicago Tribune, the victims included teens, including a 16-year-old who tried to flee from a gunman riding a bicycle. The youngest victim was 15-year-old Michael Westley, who was gunned down by police on Sunday night. Police stated what Westley was armed, and pointed a gun a them.

The shootings are being attributed to gang violence, though some of those injured were shot by police attempting to contain the violence. In addition to the teens, a 40-year-old man was killed in a nightclub shooting in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood, and a 21-year-old man was shot dead in southwest Chicago. A 19-year-old male was also found dead on a sidewalk in Englewood early Sunday morning. The first murder of the weekend occurred on Friday in the west Chicago neighborhood of Austin, where 21-year-old Ricardo Herrera was shot and killed.

Despite the high level of violence this weekend, Chicago Police tried to reassure the public, stating that progress is being made to curb violent crime in the city. At around the same time last year, 53 people were injured and nine were fatally shot in a similar rash of shootings.

(via Chicago Tribune)