Chicago, Aug 6: At least 63 people were shot out of which ten were killed during multiple shooting incidents in several parts of Chicago. The carnage began on Friday evening and lasted till 2:00 pm on Sunday. Paramedic reportedly said the Chicago city was like a 'war zone', while the police described it as being one of the most violent weekends of late.

Unidentified shooters targeted groups including one gathering of people who had attended a funeral repast. "The city of Chicago experienced a violent night," said Fred Waller, Chief of the Patrol Division of the Chicago Police Department, in a press conference. “These were both random and targeted shootings on our streets,” he added.

Shootings took place at a time when thousands of people gathered for a downtown concert. Of the wounded, the oldest was 62 years of age, and the youngest was 11. Chicago experienced a nearly 20-year record number of murders in 2016, prompting President Donald Trump to single out the city for criticism regularly.

But Waller said so far this year, there has been a reduction in shootings of over 30 per cent in Chicago, while murders are down by 25 per cent. “That’s not a victory by any means or any stretch,” he said. “But we continue to head in the right direction.” He also said more than 5,500 illegal guns had been confiscated from the city’s streets.

“I promise this city, we won’t be defeated,” he vowed during the press conference. “We all live in this city. We all want this city to be safer.” The shootings took place a few days after people protested gun violence and police misconduct.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 06, 2018 04:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).