SR0820 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, There have been 113 homicides in Chicago in 2010, with 16 of those victims being children; and

WHEREAS, Over the past 2 years, nearly 1,000 Chicagoans were murdered, including 129 youths under the age of 18; and

WHEREAS, 369 Illinoisans under the age of 25 were killed by firearms in 2006 alone; and

WHEREAS, 16-year-old Reggies Washington was just blocks from his home when he was struck by a bullet around 7:30 P.M. on April 2, 2010; and

WHEREAS, Police found the Chicago high school student in the middle of the street with a gunshot wound in his back; and

WHEREAS, Reggies died approximately one hour later from his injuries; and

WHEREAS, Blake Munie, age 19, was in his car on April 9, 2010 when another teen approached the vehicle and opened fire; and

WHEREAS, Blake was able to drive away from the scene with a gunshot wound to the chest, only to hit a utility pole blocks away; and

WHEREAS, Blake later died at the hospital from his injuries; and

WHEREAS, A 17-year-old Lakeland High School student named Michael Lee was at a party in January of 2010 when a fight spilled out onto the street; and

WHEREAS, Lee, an honor student and football player at his high school, was shot and killed during the altercation; and

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are committed to protecting children from gun violence; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we raise awareness of gun violence amongst our youth by designating the date of May 10, 2010 as "Protecting Young People from Gun Violence" Awareness Day; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Washington, Munie, and Lee families as an expression of our sympathy.