Chicago police on track to seize 9,500 guns this year, most in 5 years

The Chicago Police Department is on track to have taken a total of about 9,500 illegal guns off Chicago streets by the end of 2018, the highest number seized in the city in five years.

As of Christmas Eve, police had taken more than 9,400 illegal guns off of the streets. Nearly 50 guns were seized just this weekend, according to Chicago police.

The predicted total would mean a 9 percent increase from the number of guns seized last year, police said.

“While simultaneously reducing crime and gun violence, Chicago Police officers have made exceptional progress interdicting the flow of illegal guns through our city, ” CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson said in a release Monday.

More than one-third of the guns seized this year were taken off the streets in just four police districts – Gresham, Englewood, Deering and Harrison – police said.

So far this year, 4,249 people have been arrested on gun-related charges, police said.

The majority of guns seized this year were semi-automatic handguns, but nearly 200 assault style weapons were also taken in, including Ak-47 and AR-15 rifles, police said.