Zhiene Washington’s life changed forever seven years ago when she heard gunshots while on the phone with her mother. Her son, Tre’Velle E. Washington, had just left to buy cigarettes, and her instinct drove her to run outside, shouting his name, only to find him on the ground. As she waited for the police and ambulance, she kissed his forehead and wiped away his tears, hoping it was not too late.
When the police arrived, two officers pulled her away to ask questions about the shooting, turning their attention from the critically injured Tre’Velle to her. That night marked the last communication she received from the police regarding her son’s case. Over the years, her attempts to pursue answers resulted in dead ends, with the investigator always unavailable. Now, she remains among the many families in Chicago seeking answers about loved ones lost to gun violence—a challenge persistent in the city for over a decade.
Chicago’s gun crime clearance rates have lagged compared to other urban areas, according to a report released by Live Free Illinois, an organization dedicated to public safety. This report highlights the troubling trend of low homicide clearance rates, particularly in Black and Brown neighborhoods. Researchers engaged with residents on the city’s south and west sides, where confidence in the criminal justice system has eroded due to incomplete investigations and unresolved cases.
Data obtained by the Trace revealed that between 2010 and 2024, Chicago police only made arrests in 27% of the 8,750 homicides analyzed, most of which involved firearm-related deaths. Furthermore, over the past 15 years, police arrests in fatal shootings hovered around 23%, while that figure fell to just 16% in 2024. Nationally, clearance rates for homicides averaged between 50% and 61%, starkly contrasted to Chicago’s figures, which remained between 35% and 50%.
The data also indicated a stark racial discrepancy, demonstrating that fatal shootings of Black victims frequently went unsolved at a higher rate than those of white victims. With Black individuals making up about 80% of the city’s homicide victims, this disparity has exacerbated feelings of neglect among survivors. Survivors shared their sentiments with the Trace, stating that the number of unsolved cases in their communities fuels distrust toward law enforcement. Washington expressed that without someone in custody, closure remained elusive: “Maybe with somebody in custody you could actually feel some closure,” she reflected bitterly on her son’s case.
Fifteen years of Chicago Police Department data indicate a disparity in arrest rates, with only about 21% of Black fatal shooting cases resulting in arrests compared to nearly 38% for white victims. Reverend Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, executive director of Live Free Illinois, pointed out that such disparities are often framed around assumptions of gang involvement or criminal character, which further dehumanize victims. In the aftermath of such tragedies, survivors reported that law enforcement generally questions the character of their deceased loved ones instead of focusing solely on the investigations.
In the immediate aftermath of Tre’Velle’s shooting, Washington felt police lacked empathy, treating him as if he were somehow responsible for his fate. Despite being with her dying son, the officers pulled her aside, prioritizing their line of questioning over her son’s comfort. When a detective implied that Tre’Velle’s friends, who had arrived at the scene, might have been involved, it felt like they were blaming him for his circumstances. Washington noted her son’s history with the justice system led law enforcement to categorize him unfairly, thus diminishing the importance of solving his case.
Statistics indicate that cases involving victims with criminal histories see a lower clearance rate, exemplifying how bias permeates police investigations. Almost 21% of cases involving victims with a criminal record resulted in an arrest, whereas the rate for those without a record was nearly 31%. Survivors like Veronica Higgins, who lost her son Ronnie Roper in 2023, echoed Washington’s frustrations regarding law enforcement’s perceptions during investigations. Though Ronnie was actively working to change his life, police questioned Higgins about his past, leading her to feel stereotyped and unheard.
Higgins has not received updated information concerning her son’s case, reflecting the broader issue of disengagement from the police after a death occurs. “Regardless of what a person looks like, regardless of their ZIP code, regardless of their background, their arrest history, if a person has been impacted by violence, the police, the state’s attorney, everybody a part of the system, has to treat that person as an individual and as a person who has encountered a crisis,” Bates-Chamberlain insisted.
The consequence of low arrest rates extends beyond individual families, adversely impacting entire communities. In the most heavily affected neighborhoods, residents have witnessed the highest incidents of gun violence coupled with inferior police response rates. In East Garfield Park, where Tre’Velle was killed, there were 242 fatal shootings over 14 years, yet police made arrests in only 13% of those cases. Washington lamented that, despite potential witnesses to Tre’Velle’s shooting, no one came forward, a situation compounded by a lack of trust in police efforts to solve cases.
Bates-Chamberlain noted that the perception that Black communities are uncooperative is a damaging myth, discounting the realities of fear and distrust. People are hesitant to provide information when they feel police will not act on their tips or take their concerns seriously. The narrative surrounding unsolved cases heavily influences community safety, as families and neighbors endure the anxiety of living with unresolved violence.
Despite assurances from the Chicago Police Department that improvements have been made to homicide investigations, evidence suggests otherwise. Earlier this year, the CPD touted a newly reported clearance rate of 56% for homicides, a figure that inaccurately includes cases solved through unusual circumstances rather than those resolved through traditional arrest mechanisms. Without clear metrics regarding the number of cases solved within a year, the public cannot rely wholeheartedly on the department’s proclamations.
The continual struggle for accountability has led Live Free Illinois to advocate for the Homicide Data Transparency Act, aiming to establish consistent tracking of homicide cases by law enforcement. Bates-Chamberlain emphasized that improved reporting could pressure police departments to prioritize these cases and be held accountable by the community they serve. It’s disconcerting for survivors to confront the fact that, while armed violence has decreased overall, the clearance rates for homicides have not shown corresponding improvement.
Many families acknowledge the complexities of homicide investigations and are not seeking easy answers—they simply want their loved ones’ cases to be treated with the seriousness they deserve. Higgins found solace in recalling the vibrant spirit of her son, full of laughter and joy during their last family gathering on Cinco de Mayo. Now, coping with the aftermath of losing him gives rise to an ongoing heartache in her life. Seeing police invest genuine effort into solving her son’s case would not only help her heal but also affirm that Ronnie was more than just another statistic—he was a beloved person to many who will always be remembered.
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