By Illinois Review
Chicago ended 2025 with persistently high levels of violent crime that once again set it apart from other major American cities.
According to data compiled by HeyJackass.com, 362 people were shot and killed, 1,592 were shot and wounded, and 1,954 total shooting victims were recorded last year. Total homicides reached 433.
Those figures highlight ongoing concerns under one-party Democratic control.
Despite strict gun laws, massive taxpayer spending, and years of promises from city and state leaders, Chicago remains one of the most dangerous big cities in the nation. The contrast with other Democrat-run cities is stark.
New York City – with more than three times Chicago’s population – recorded approximately 303 murders in 2025. The city logged about 685 shooting incidents and roughly 853 shooting victims.
Even with its own crime problems, New York finished the year with 130 fewer homicides than Chicago and less than half the number of shooting victims.
Los Angeles reported around 250 murders for the year – 183 fewer than Chicago.
Critics argue Chicago’s crisis is driven less by population or geography and more by policy decisions made under Democratic leadership undermining law enforcement, excusing repeat offenders, and prioritizing ideology over public safety.
Police morale has been crushed while violent criminals are routinely released back onto the streets. Meanwhile, law-abiding citizens face some of the toughest gun restrictions in America – laws that criminals openly ignore.
The result has been continued high levels of violent crime.
On Friday, Donald Trump weighed in on Chicago’s chaos with a blunt jab at Illinois Democrats. Posting on Truth Social, Trump shared an image of JB Pritzker holding a cheeseburger while Chicago burns behind him. The caption read: “Chicago doesn’t need help. We have everything under control.”
The post added to ongoing public debate over crime and public safety in Chicago.
While Democrats talk about “root causes” and demand more spending, neighborhoods on the South and West Sides endure nightly gunfire. Children grow up dodging bullets. Families bury loved ones. Small businesses close, and residents who can afford to flee do so.
Democrats claim to stand for children and families, yet their policies leave children trapped in violent neighborhoods and families at the mercy of criminals.
Chicago’s 2025 crime totals underscore the scale of the city’s ongoing violence problem.
City and state leaders have repeatedly said existing strategies are working, but the latest data highlights the continued challenge Chicago faces in reducing violent crime, even as officials maintain that public safety remains under control.
