CHICAGO -- Chicago police and federal agents are collaborating in an initiative to stem the flow of illegal guns in the city as part of efforts to curb rampant violence.
President Donald Trump tweeted Friday that "Crime and killings in Chicago have reached such epidemic proportions that I am sending in Federal help."
His tweet came ahead of an announcement by Chicago police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives about the Chicago Crime Gun Strike Force. The Chicago Sun-Times reports 20 additional ATF agents have been sent to Chicago.
Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said in a statement "we are foundationally changing the way we fight crime in Chicago."
State police, intelligence analysts and state and federal prosecutors will target illegal guns and repeat gun offenders.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office says the city welcomes the 20 additional federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms who have been sent to help combat the city's rampant gun violence.
Adam Collins made his comments after President Donald Trump tweeted Friday morning that "Crime and killings in Chicago have reached such epidemic proportions that I am sending in Federal help."
Collins said in an email that the mayor's office has for months said it would welcome additional federal support and that city police have made progress even "without any of the new resources from the federal government we requested."
Police figures show that the number of shooting incidents and victims have dropped from last year, although the number of shooting deaths is basically the same.