Chicago shootings hit 19 people in one night

While the Empire State Building shootings in New York City have been capturing much of the national attention, even more sobering news about gun violence has come out of Chicago. A total of 19 people in Chicago were shot last night and early today, the Associated Press reported. Police said that 13 people were shot in a single 30-minute period. 

Eight of the victims were gunned down in a drive-by shooting in the South Side of the city, CBS Chicago reported. Luckily, most of the victims are in stable condition.

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However, community activist Andrew Holmes is concerned, claiming that the victims won't cooperate with the police. "The persons have been struck by gunfire, they need to step up and speak up for us," Holmes told NBC. "Nine times out of 10, they knew who was firing the shot at them."

The city's murder rate has spiked 29 percent, and officials say that gangs do not fear the police, BBC News reported. Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy has also been accused of eliminating the police teams that are sent to crime-ridden areas.

Perhaps the frequency of gun clashes in Chicago explains why last night's violence hasn't received as much attention as people thought it deserved. "Empire State shooting gets big coverage; 19 shot in Chicago last night," Roger Ebert tweeted.