Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and State Attorney Kim Foxx clash over fatal shooting

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has slammed Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx for failing to press charges in a deadly West Side shooting – and Foxx is fighting back.

One person was killed and several others injured on Friday when a shootout broke out between suspected gang members in the Austin neighborhood that was caught on police cameras – but Foxx did not charge five suspects, saying that there was not sufficient evidence.

Lightfoot said Monday that she and lawmakers sent a letter to Foxx asking to reconsider fears that a lack of accountability could plunge the city into chaos, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

“It’s complicated, sure, but we really urge the state attorney herself to get involved, to look at the evidence,” said Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor. “And I think there are charges that can be brought at a minimum against the individuals who started the shots. We cannot live in a world where there is no responsibility.

Foxx hit back at Lightfoot at a press conference on Tuesday, saying police agreed with his assessment after a lack of cooperation from witnesses.

“I am mortified by what happened yesterday, especially because the mayor, as a former prosecutor, knows what she did yesterday was inappropriate,” Foxx said.

But as Foxx held on, Lightfoot doubled down – and said she was asking the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago to investigate whether federal charges could be laid.

“I think what people want to know is how is it possible, given what we’ve seen, we’ve all seen on videotape, with officers on the scene, that no one is ‘was charged, “CBS Chicago reported.

Those involved could have been charged with crimes ranging from disturbing the peace to attempted murder to “send a message,” Lightfoot said.

Both officials are Democrats and Lightfoot has backed Foxx’s re-election campaign, but pressure has increased to tackle ongoing violent crime in Chicago, the nation’s third largest city, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Foxx said that from taking office in 2016 until July of this year, there have been 13,374 shootings in the city – but only 2,447 resulted in an arrest, CBS said.