A day after Chicago saw a series of mass shootings in a matter of hours, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland appeared in the city Thursday to meet with police and community leaders as the Justice Department launches new efforts to stem the flow of illegal firearms here.
Garland, a native of north suburban Lincolnwood, began the day in Washington, D.C., to announce the formation of strike forces aimed at going after gun traffickers in several cities, including Chicago, at a time when urban America had seen spikes in gun violence.
He then traveled to Chicago to meet with U.S. Attorney John Lausch, who will oversee the local strike force, as well as police and community leaders, officials said.