Chicago Resident Lays Down the Gauntlet for Pritzker and Mayor Johnson [WATCH]

Chicago resident Danielle Carter-Walters, co-founder of Chicago Flips Red, challenged Illinois officials over public safety during an appearance on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle” on Monday, urging Democratic leaders to visit the South Side without security details.

Earlier Monday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker posted a video on social media highlighting a more affluent part of the city while insisting Chicago is not a “hellhole.”

Good morning from Chicago! pic.twitter.com/aUVgF0QRZS

— JB Pritzker (@JBPritzker) August 25, 2025

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After airing the clip and describing the post as an attempt to “troll” President Donald Trump, host Laura Ingraham asked Carter-Walters for her reaction.

“We are not thinking about Pritzker or Brandon Johnson,” Carter-Walters said.

“We just had four mass shootings in a span of one month. Fourteen people got shot and four dead. We just had senior citizens laying shot, bleeding in the streets. And let’s not forget the gentleman who we saw, who was on Facebook Live, get robbed and shot while he was sitting in his car. So we don’t care about anything these people are saying.”

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Carter-Walters then challenged the city’s and state’s top officials to appear without protection in her neighborhood.

“Tell Brandon Johnson and Pritzker, if Chicago is so safe, with Brandon Johnson especially, let’s leave his 150 police detail. Fire them and walk around with no police detail. And Pritzker, no security,” she said.

“Come in my community, the South Side of Chicago. Come over there, and let’s see you say how safe it is. You can’t even sit in your car alone. If you sit in your car, you know there is a chance you’re going to get carjacked, robbed or shot. So tell him to come around in my neck of the woods and talk that.”

Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the city’s safety metrics at a Monday press conference, asking President Trump not to deploy troops and highlighting what they described as improved crime figures.

According to ABC7 Chicago, police data through Aug. 16 shows homicides down 25% compared to 2023.

Over the last 12 months, there have been 474 homicides, while the average number of homicides from 2021 through 2023 was 722, the outlet reported.

On Friday, President Donald Trump told reporters he is considering deploying the National Guard to Chicago.

The statement followed his Aug. 11 decision to send troops to Washington, D.C., under Section 40 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act.

The action in Washington came after several high-profile crimes in the nation’s capital.

Those incidents included the attack against a former Department of Government Efficiency staffer and the fatal June 30 shooting of Republican intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym.

While some Democrats and media commentators have pointed to a 35% drop in Washington, D.C., crime in 2024 based on local police data, the figures did not include categories such as felonies and aggravated assaults.

In July, the city’s Metropolitan Police Department confirmed an internal investigation involving Commander Michael Pulliam for allegedly altering crime statistics in his district, according to NBC Washington.

Carter-Walters’ appearance highlighted the divide between neighborhood-level experiences and citywide statistics.

Her remarks focused on multiple incidents on Chicago’s South Side and concerns about armed robberies and carjackings. She argued that safety claims from state and city leaders do not reflect conditions in her community.

City officials have emphasized year-over-year improvements in homicide data, along with ongoing initiatives to address violent crime, carjacking, and retail theft.

Johnson has generally pointed to coordinated efforts with police, community organizations, and social-service programs intended to reduce violence and improve accountability.

The question of federal involvement added a national dimension to the Chicago debate.

Trump’s consideration of National Guard deployment to Chicago comes after his decision to use similar authority in the District of Columbia earlier in August.

Pritzker and Johnson urged the White House not to take that step in Chicago, saying the city’s police and public safety infrastructure should handle local issues.

Public opinion data reflects divided views on federal intervention.

A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll released Monday reported that 54% of registered voters said Trump’s crime-fighting actions in Washington, D.C., are “justified and necessary.”

As officials trade arguments over the best approach, Carter-Walters said problems remain immediate for residents in neighborhoods experiencing violent incidents.

Her invitation for state and city leaders to visit the South Side without security underscored a broader call for attention to street-level conditions and accountability for outcomes residents see day to day.