CHICAGO – FBI Director James Comey says his agency would consider doing more to help stem street-level violence in Chicago, though he stopped short of specifics.
His comments during a planned visit to Chicago on Monday came after a violent weekend in the nation's third largest city. Four people were shot and killed between Friday afternoon and Sunday night the South and West sides. More than 30 others were wounded.
In remarks before fielding questions, Comey listed counter-terrorism, home-grown extremism and cybercrime as top FBI priorities. When a reporter asked how high a priority reducing Chicago violence was, he responded, "very high."
Flanking him at the news conference was the superintendent of Chicago police, Garry McCarthy. During his visit, Comey met with McCarthy as well as with other top Chicago-based federal officials.