jwb

I mean it's an oversimplification tbh.. Chicago was violent before that but once they tore down Cabrini Green and some of the other large housing projects, in an effort to fight crime of all things, the residents got dispersed over a larger area and the gang territories got all mixed up which lead to more fighting over territory which obviously lead to the cycle of retribution you referred to... Its like a murder feedback loop.

The reason the towers were tore down in the first place was because of all the gang activity. I remember seeing a video on YouTube years ago about snipers in Chicago high rises. Dude would post up with a sniper rifle in an abandoned apt and just wait for the anyone from the wrong set to walk through the court yard.