Illinois Gov. Says Chicago 'out of control': Almost 1 child a day gunned down since June 26

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

Calling violence in Chicago "out of control," Gov. Blagojevich on Wednesday offered to lend state troopers and National Guard helicopters to the city to augment the Chicago Police.

The governor is considering forming an "elite tactical team" to help the Chicago Police fight gang problems, a source said, adding that the unit could later be sent across the state to deal with gang problems at any city's request.


"It's fair to say that violent crime in Chicago is out of control. In certain communities in the city of Chicago, it is reaching epidemic proportions," Blagojevich told reporters at a bill-signing ceremony in Chicago.

The governor noted 16 children -- "almost one child a day" -- have been gunned down in Chicago since June 26. The shooting death toll for Chicago Public School students stands at 29 since last fall.

"Twenty-eight of those kids are African-American and Latino. Hard to imagine that that would be acceptable if that were, in fact, the case in other parts of the city or in a middle-class suburb somewhere. . . . Something is wrong, and this violence has to stop," he said.

It doesn't seem like gun control in Chicago is working to prevent violence.