Nine people died in gun violence during the US Independence Day celebrations.

A series of gun violence incidents across Chicago last weekend left nine people dead.

Amber Hailey, 28, mother of 7-year-old Amari Brown, wept outside her home in Chicago on July 5 after learning her son had been killed by gunshot. Photo: The Chicago Tribune.

Thirty-three shootings occurred across Chicago, Illinois, between July 3 and 3 p.m. on July 5, AFP reported yesterday, citing Chicago police officer Veejay Zala. The youngest victim was seven-year-old Amari Brown.

Amari was shot in the chest just before midnight on July 4th while playing with other children in Humboldt Park, west of Chicago, and died two hours later at the hospital. City police said the gunman was targeting Antonio Brown, Amari's father and a "gang member."

According to DNAinfo Chicago, nine people have died and 35 have been injured as of yesterday afternoon, since the Independence Day holiday began on the afternoon of May 2nd. Chicago police had previously pledged to work to avoid a repeat of last year's shootings, which resulted in 84 deaths.

(According to Chicago Tribune/ TTO)