Mayor Brandon Johnson is pictured at a press conference on April 1, 2025. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Following a violent long weekend in Chicago, a coalition of faith leaders, anti-violence advocates and elected and city officials have renewed a longtime call for the creation of a city agency solely dedicated to reducing gun violence, and Mayor Brandon Johnson signaled Tuesday that he was open to engagement and discussions on the idea.  

At the same time, the coalition has the support of two alderpeople who plan to introduce an ordinance ahead of the August City Council recess calling for the permanent establishment of the Department of Gun Violence Reduction to tee up conversations during the fall budget season.