Larry K. Matthews, age 25, was fatally shot on November 2, 2016, in Chicago. His death came during a period of significant violence in the city, which was experiencing one of its highest annual homicide totals in decades. In 2016, Chicago saw a dramatic spike in homicides, with nearly 800 killings throughout the year, and over 90% of these homicides were committed using firearms. This sharp increase in gun-related violence was largely attributed to heightened gang conflicts, availability of illegal firearms, and ongoing socio-economic challenges that affected many Chicago communities.
The homicide of Larry K. Matthews was part of a larger pattern of increased violence that began early in 2016. Statistics from that year show that gun homicides drove the rise, with the number of murders escalating month by month compared to the previous year. Experts noted that there were no clear early signs of this sharp increase, as homicide rates were fairly steady in late 2015. However, starting in January 2016, gun violence surged, contributing to a 67% increase in the number of victims compared to the same month the previous year. This trend continued throughout the year, ultimately making 2016 one of the deadliest years for the city in recent history.
The rise in Chicago's violence that year was exacerbated by multiple factors, including disputes between rival gangs, limited employment opportunities in high-crime neighborhoods, and a proliferation of illegal firearms. The homicide rate in Chicago was higher than many other major cities in the United States, although cities like Detroit, New Orleans, and St. Louis still experienced higher per capita rates. Despite increased efforts by law enforcement to confiscate illegal guns—recovering firearms at nearly twice the rate per capita as Los Angeles—the cycle of violence continued, with neighborhoods like the South and West sides facing the most severe impacts. The death of Larry K. Matthews highlighted the ongoing crisis of violence that Chicago was struggling to address during this turbulent time.
