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Contact: Adam Salzman

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Comm. Richard R. Boykin to hold 9:30 a.m. press conference before his ‘State of Emergency’ town hall meeting

Chicago, IL-Cook County Comm. Richard R. Boykin (D-1) is holding a 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 2, 2015, press conference at the Christ Tabernacle Baptist Church of Austin, 854 North Central Ave., Chicago, IL, just prior to his 10 a.m. ‘State of Emergency: Our Public Safety Crisis’ town hall meeting.

“While the weather was cool this weekend, we had 22 shootings and 4 person killed one of whom was  Marshall High School basketball star Tim Triplett,” said Comm. Boykin. “Last weekend, again with cool weather, 32 people were shot and 3 killed.

“My biggest fear is when the weather turns 80 degrees we may have even greater bloodshed. We’ve got to be proactive. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has not addressed this issue. Both he and Supt. Garry McCarthy have been invited to come and lay out their plans to curb the violence.”

With all statistics pointing to a long, hot and violent summer, Comm. Boykin said, “Austin led all 77 neighborhoods in terms of having the most homicides in the city after just the first quarter. We are looking for community solutions.”

Comm. Boykin will be joined by), Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-7^th), Ald.-Elect Chris Taliaferro  (29^th), 15^th District Police Cmdr. Dwayne Betts, and invited guests include Mayor Emanuel, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, U.S. Senator Mark Kirk, Karl Brinson, president of the NAACP West Side Branch, other Westside elected officials.

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