Lawrence Jones investigates violence in Chicago
Fox News contributor Lawrence Jones speaks with Chicago residents, including Natalia Wallace's family, about the shocking levels of violence in the city.
The family of a 7-year-old girl who was killed in Chicago's rampant gun violence over the Fourth of July weekend is calling for change.
In a Tuesday appearance on "Hannity" with host Sean Hannity, Fox News contributor Lawrence Jones shared his interview with the family of Natalia "Natalie" Wallace, who was shot while playing outside of her grandmother's house on Saturday night.
“Chicago’s heart is broke,” Police Chief of Patrol Fred Waller told The Chicago Tribune. “A 7-year-old girl was taken from us. She was here visiting family. Now she’s gone.”
Over the holiday weekend, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) reported 87 people shot and 17 killed from July 2 to July 5. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, 19 people were shot and three killed on Monday alone.
According to statistics released by CPD, over the last six months, homicide rates have seen an increase of about 34 percent since the same period last year, and shootings are also up by 42 percent.
"Y'all gotta change. Y'all see the way y'all got things going now. It's not working. How many kids [are] going to have to die before we realize we need to do better?" said Natalia's father, Nathan Wallace.
"When you find out it's one of your daughters or your sister or brother and then you will feel the pain that I feel, it shouldn't have to come to that. I mean, we should be able to do something as a people, as a community to come together and strategize and think of something that's a lot better than what's going on now. Because, I mean, at this point...all our kids [are] dying out here [on] these streets."
According to The New York Times, nine children under the age of 18 have been shot dead in Chicago since June 20. The last two -- including Natalia -- were killed on Saturday.
Some of the victims, from left to right: Davon McNeal, Natalia Wallace, Royta Giles Jr. and Secoriea Turner. (Handouts)
Jones asked Wallace if he believed there should be protests for his daughter's life and the lives of the other children taken in the same way as there are protests for Black lives taken at the hands of the police.
"I believe there should be. Hopefully, this point right now is a stepping stone. And, hopefully, things get taken care of," he stated. "And, I'm so happy that my daughter's name and ringing bells and...like that is shared over this horrific act."
Wallace also fondly remembered his daughter's beautiful smile but became choked up when discussing the bright future that had been taken away from her.
"She could have been anything. And, that's the killing part. She could have been anything in the world. And, now she [doesn't] have the chance," he said.
Reginald Merrill, 33, was charged late Monday afternoon in Natalia's shooting with one count of first-degree murder and one count of felony aggravated battery involving the discharge of a firearm.
"Sean, I've covered a lot of these incidents, but going to see where she was shot and seeing the bloodstain still in the grass -- it's something I'll never forget," Jones later remarked.
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"What I saw today, and listening to that family talking about the reconstruction that they're having to do on the body of their baby girl: it's shameful. And, there's no protest about it," he added. "Zero."
"Why would you reject help when people are dying every weekend?" Hannity asked of the city's Democratic leadership.
"We have to elect better people," he concluded.
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