Advocates for Chicago survivors say gun violence has long been a public health crisis

CHICAGO (CBS) — The US Surgeon General on Tuesday declared gun violence a public health crisis On Tuesday, survivors in Chicago are wondering 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 that they have been in crisis mode for years. But they hope that national recognition will actually make a difference.

Michael Tidmore showed a scar left from when he was shot.

“It went in here and it landed inches from my heart,” Tidmore said.

Tidmore was hit by a stray bullet in Englewood when he was 30 years old. He is now in his sixties and works as a gun violence prevention officer. He says the pain never went away.

Tidmore said his community was already under a state of emergency when the U.S. surgeon general declared gun violence a public health crisis.

“It certainly should have been done a long time ago. It’s absolutely a crisis,” Tidmore said, “and I personally can see — based on the work I do in public safety — how devastating this is to this community .”

West Pullman mother Sherry Nolen’s son, Akaeem, did not survive his confrontation with a gunman in July 2021.

“Akeem was shot three to eight times. Since the case is still open, I don’t know how many times he was hit,” Nolen said. “Everything just flows through your body. It’s a sick feeling.”

Nolen knows the ripple effect of trauma in her family and throughout her community.

Chicago police responded to 25 shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and midnight Sunday. 31 people were injured in these incidents.

The surgeon general’s announcement on Tuesday left Nolen hopeful but with questions.

“We already knew it was a public health problem,” she said. “But now that the surgeon general is saying that, I hope that some changes will be made, you know, in our justice system.”

Tidmore’s tone was similarly hopeful.

“I’m optimistic. I’m optimistic,” he said. “You know, that could be a catalyst for everyone to see now; that it is a consciousness.”

The state of Illinois declared gun violence a public health crisis nearly four years ago.