CHICAGO -- The U.S. surgeon general on Tuesday declared gun violence a public health crisis Tuesday, and survivors in Chicago wonder what took so long.The survivors said gun violence has always been a public health crisis in the communities where they live and work—and they have been in crisis mode for years. But they hope national recognition will actually make a difference. Michael Tidmore showed a scar that remains from when he was shot.
'West Pullman mom Sherry Nolen's son, Akaeem, didn't survive his brush with a shooter in July 2021.'Akeem was shot anywhere from three times to eight times. Because the case is still open, I will not know how many times he was hit,' Nolen said. 'Just everything flows through your body. It's a sick feeling.'Nolen knows the ripple effect of trauma in her family and across her community. Chicago Police responded to 25 shooting incidents between Friday at 6 p.m.