— Residents of the Parkway Gardens complex on the 6400 block of South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, often called O Block, say they do not want President Donald Trump to deploy the National Guard to Chicago. Longtime residents and students described falling shootings and everyday improvements on the block and argued that local programs, not a military presence, are the better path to lasting safety.
Key takeaways
- O Block (Parkway Gardens) has had more shooting victims since 2010 than any other Chicago block, but shootings are down this year.
- The block saw its highest single-year total in 2021 with 22 people shot; two people have been shot on the block so far this year.
- Many residents say they feel safer now thanks to measures like a gated entrance and local programs.
- Students and elders oppose a National Guard deployment, fearing increased tension and harm rather than improved safety.
- Pastor Corey Brooks and Project HOOD support temporary Guard presence but emphasize community institutions as permanent solutions.
- Governors and the mayor have opposed federal troop deployment; legal authority and operational details remain unclear.
Verified facts
Parkway Gardens, a low-income apartment complex on the South Side, is commonly called O Block and has been referenced in music by local rappers including Chief Keef and the late King Von. Since 2010 the block has recorded more shooting victims than any other single block in Chicago. The single worst year for O Block was 2021, when 22 people were struck by gunfire. This year the block has recorded two shootings.
Citywide crime figures from Chicago Police Department data show declines so far this year: homicides are down about 32%, robberies nearly 33%, and shootings about 36% compared with the previous year. Despite those drops, many young residents say the streets still feel unsafe in daily life.
Longtime resident Anthony Carter, 44, who now works as a case manager with Project HOOD, said he grew up on the 6400 block and supports community-led efforts to reduce violence. Older neighbors including Ruby Turner, 66, Darell McCoy, 59, and Earnestine Gardner, 81, described more children playing outside and neighbors chatting on benches since security measures and local programs were added.
Context & impact
President Trump has publicly threatened to send federal forces, including the National Guard and federal immigration agents, to Chicago and would use Naval Station Great Lakes as a staging area under the announced plan. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson both oppose any such deployment, calling it unlawful and unnecessary given the recent declines in crime.
Students at Progressive Leadership Academy, an alternative high school adjacent to Parkway Gardens, said added military-style forces would likely increase fear and tension. Teenagers urged investments in jobs, mentoring and youth programs rather than more armed presence on neighborhood streets.
Past efforts by local organizations have focused on youth programming, job training and a new Leadership & Economic Opportunity Center that Project HOOD is constructing across from Parkway Gardens. Residents credited these programs and gated security for contributing to the block’s reduced violence.
Views inside the block
Some neighbors welcomed external support in principle but emphasized temporary versus permanent solutions. Pastor Corey Brooks, founder of Project HOOD and an outspoken supporter of tougher enforcement, said the National Guard could be a short-term stabilizing force while community institutions provide long-term change.
‘The National Guard can stand on corners, but institutions like ours stand in people’s lives,’
Pastor Corey Brooks, Project HOOD
Unconfirmed
- Whether the president can lawfully deploy active-duty troops to Chicago without a formal request from Illinois state officials.
- The precise role, rules of engagement and geographic footprint federal forces would have if deployed to the Chicago area.
- The expected timeline, size and duration of any planned mobilization from Naval Station Great Lakes.
Bottom line
Residents of O Block largely reject a federal military presence and point to falling shootings, gated security and community programs as reasons the block feels safer. Many neighborhood voices call for sustained investment in jobs, youth programs and local institutions as the route to lasting public safety, while officials debate the legality and usefulness of any National Guard deployment.