In Chicago, 79 dead of guns so far this year. When will politicians say #enough?

SHARE In Chicago, 79 dead of guns so far this year. When will politicians say #enough?
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Students from Hancock High School walk out of class to protest gun violence. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

The first was Janusz Kolodziejczyk, 51, shot and killed while driving in Avondale in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

The most recent was Jason Rodriguez, 27, who died this past weekend after being wounded in a shooting in Humboldt Park.

EDITORIAL

In between were dozens of others. Jamaal Brown, 35, was gunned down as he stood on the street in Austin. Horacio Galvan-Hernandez, 46, was at work on the Northwest Side when he was shot during a robbery. Beatrice Jones, 56, was killed in an apparent domestic incident in Gresham. Thomas Hernandez, 28, of Orland Park, was shot while driving in West Elsdon on the Southwest Side.

So far, 79 people have been killed by gun violence so far this year in Chicago. All their names are listed below.

They might still be alive if politicians had shown more political courage on gun control. Time and again, too many of those politicians, including Gov. Bruce Rauner, have shown they do not. Rauner proved that with his veto of a gun dealer licensing bill that had broad support.

Other politicians prove it every time they take the National Rifle Association’s blood money. Here in Illinois, the seven congressmen, all Republicans, who accept NRA’s money are Peter Roskam, Randy Hultgren, Adam Kinzinger, John Shimkus, Rodney Davis, Mike Bost and Darin LaHood.

Again on Wednesday, to their credit, a bipartisan group of state senators approved a bill, a reworking of a House measure, to ban the sale of assault weapons to anybody under age 21. The bill now returns to the House. But if Rauner’s actions of this week are any indication — this reform will die, too.

In stark contrast are the thousands of high school students, from big cities and suburbs and small towns across the country, who walked out of school yesterday in memory of the Parkland school shooting victims and to demand sensible gun control. The organizers have promised more protests.

One of their social media hashtags is #enough. If adults follow their lead, maybe, just maybe, it will be.

Chicago’s running death toll from guns for 2018:

Janusz Kolodziejczyk, 51

John Harris, 34

Jaquan Diario Reed, 24

Lonnie Hutcherson, 29

Jamaal Brown, 35

Trennis Milam, 46

Lonnie Rucker, 49

George Washington, 53

Shaquille Gales, 23

Isaiah Clark, 28

Peter Puleo, 34

Doterrius Gator, 26

Damarcus Wilson, 16

Deshawn James, 17

Miguel Islas, 28

Uriah Hughes, 33

Jordasch Robinson, 37

Ronald Robinson, 36

DeMarcus Ealey, 31

Deonte Thomas, 23

Luis Flores, 20

David Flores, 25

Carlos McGary, 41

Thomas Hernandez, 28

Tiawain Johnson, 26

Manuel Ramirez, 18

Devin Hill, 21

Horacio Galvan-Hernandez, 46

Terrell Martin, 26

Antonio Reyes, 38

Jamon Harris, 20

Luis Morales, 43

Martez Mayo, 20

Diane Taylor, 31

Donald Holmes, 29

Darryl Bailey, 29

Beatrice Jones, 56

Leroy Walker, 53

Trevor Evans, 19

Earl Smith, 25

Brandon Bivens, 18

Ravon Fountain, 43

Marcus Gibson, 39

Collette Cammon , 67

Johnny McQueen, 61

Rhomel Wellington, 17

Harris Torric, 40

Daniel Smith, 45

Mauricio Rivera, 47

Demond Larry, 21

Paul Bauer, 53

Luis Fernando Mena-Castro, 18

Kaprice Griffin, 19

Courvoisier L. M. Thurman, 28

Laedd T. Jones-Tazrell, 23

Andre Franzell, 23

Patrick D. George, 34

Dionte Land, 24

Ralph R. Cancel, 17

Larenzo Smith, 15

Maurice D. Hutson, 24

Lorreese Smith, 25

Dijon Harris, 20

Jontae Hunt, 17

Jovan R. Killingsworth, 26

Christopher Lewis, 29

Hubert Eddings, 64

Adolphus T. Ford, 20

Jose Aguilar, 14

Arthur J. Smith, 36

Terrell D. Robinson, 23

Tony Webb, 17

Karl Allen, 26

Eduardo Cornelio, 26

Joseph Smith, 16

Elliott Marshall, 51

Gilberto Casteneda, 56

Reyes Alfonso Granados, 33

Jason Rodriguez, 27

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