Elgin sees rise in gang violence

Elgin police say they are closely monitoring the city's "disturbing" increase in gang violence in recent months.

Police Chief Lisa Womack addressed the city council on Wednesday, saying police are responding to the recent rash of gang-related shootings.

"We have some recent, very high-profile, very disturbing events," Womack told the city council. "In no way are we minimizing what's been occurring."

Womack pointed to three recent shootings: one in July where two people were killed and three injured on North Street; one in August that led to a lockdown at Sheridan Elementary School; and one this past weekend near Drake Field and Huff Elementary School while a youth football league was in session.

The three shootings are unrelated, Womack said, and police have made arrests in two of the three cases.

But that doesn't lessen the seriousness of the situation, she said.

"It is simply unacceptable here in Elgin for that to occur," Womack said of the threat to public safety.

Womack asked residents to immediately report anything they see or hear related to gang violence.

Her comments Wednesday were held in lieu of a discussion on the city's recent citizen survey -- in which a majority of residents said they believe the city is a good place to live, but that they still have concerns about violent crime and safety.

The survey was conducted in January.

Womack said the city had seen a decrease in violent crime in 2006 and in the first half of this year.

But since July, she said, police have seen the trend start to change.

"Our gang-related activity has seen an upswing," she said.

Council member Juan Figueroa asked if part of the solution might be more proactive efforts aimed at keeping kids out of gangs.

"I'm more concerned about the prevention and intervention programs that we have," Figueroa said. "We just need one deadly shooting in the neighborhood for some people in the community to feel unsafe."

Mayor Ed Schock said he's been pleased with the Elgin police response to the recent shootings.

"What impressed me most is the rapid and successful response," Schock said. "One of the better deterrents … is the certainty of being caught."