The city of Chicago, Illinois, since 1995 has amassed a higher murder rate than Los Angeles and New York, both of which are the two most populous places in the United States.
Last year, there were 650 homicides recorded in Chicago, with more than 90 percent involving guns.
While the city itself has some of the strictest gun-control laws in the nation, the states surrounding its borders with looser regulations have made it easy for weapons to flood in.
Chicago’s homicide rate went down in 2017 after experiencing its deadliest year in the last two decades in 2016 when 762 people were killed.
But its homicide rates still topped most major cities with 650 people killed in 2017.
The homicides happened on front porches, basketball courts, inside homes and even on the front steps of a church. Some of the 650 victims knew their murderer, while others were caught in the crossfire.
Photojournalist Jim Young spent six months last year visiting crime scenes, vigils and memorial sites of those who were victims of violence.
He used a Fujifilm Instax Wide camera, which captures images on self-developing prints similar to a Polaroid.
Young wrote the names of the victims below each photographer in remembrance of those murdered and titled his collection ‘Behind the Bullets’.
He said: ‘Though most of the (memorials) are gone, their photographs will be forever, and I hope memories will be, too.’
The bicycles of five-year-old twins Addison and Makayla Henning were pictured on August 31, 2017. The two girls died from multiple gunshot wounds in what police believe was a murder-suicide by their mother
Celia Henning, 41, and her six-year-old twin daughters, Makalya and Addison, were found dead on August 31, 2017 inside their home. Police investigated the deaths as a murder-suicide
A memorial in a parking lot was created for Tony Haywood, 25, who died from multiple gunshot wounds. His family members used white paint to cover up the blood from the shooting, which happened on July 17, 2017. The writing on the paint reads ‘we know how u bleed’
Prosecutors charged Eduardo Aleman, 26, for beating his daughter, Jazebel. The three-year-old died from multiple injuries on June 18, 2017. A memorial was created for the young girl near her home
An 18-year-old was charged with the murder of Joshua Rayborn, 28, after he allegedly shot him in the chest. Candles were lit outside Rayborn’s home on September 20, 2017 to remember him
Adriana Williams, 27, and Michael Williams, 24, were both shot while attending a memorial for their friend Daniel Cordova, 26. Cordova had been killed 13 hours earlier on the same block in Chicago
A 64-year-old teacher was the unintended target of a drive-by shooting when she was walking with her husband. Cynthia Trevillion died from gunshot wounds to the neck and head on October 13, 2017. Flowers were placed on her doorway
Cynthia Trevillion (pictured), 64, was a school teacher who died from a gunshot wound to the head and neck. She was caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting while walking with her husband
Elizabeth Kennedy, a mother of three, was stabbed in the chest on October 21, 2017. A sign was posted on a tree in Chicago to remember the 36-year-old
Ida Arvizu, 28, was shot and killed with three other people while sitting in a car. She was pregnant and had a seven-year-old daughter. A memorial on a manhole was left for the woman on September 17, 2017
A teddy bear was placed on a chain link fence on June 29, 2017. Jeanine Dowell, 32, and Juliet Washington, 41, were killed from multiple gunshot wounds while they were driving
Gustavo Garcia, 10, was fatally shot when he was in the back of a vehicle while his stepfather was driving. A vigil for the 10-year-old was created on an overpass in Chicago. He was shot on July 15, 2017
Michelle ‘Kano’ Cano was shot dead with three other people while sitting in a car. People left behind messages on a post for the 21-year-old. The shooting occurred on September 17, 2017
A cross for Jawon Garrett sits among dozens of other crosses for people who were victims of violence. Garrett, 40, died from multiple gunshot wounds on September 13, 2017
Miriam Cruz Hurtado, 41, and her son Corbin Dallas Barraza, 4, were both strangled and stabbed to death in their home on September 21, 2017. A vigil was set up for the family
Johnson ‘John John’ Liggins Jr., 17, is pictured at Gatlings Funeral Home in Chicago. He died from gunshot wounds to the head and chest on October 23, 2017
Johnson Jiggins Jr. was known as ‘John John.’ He died from gunshot wounds to the head and chest when he was a teenager
Balloons were placed as part of a memorial for Kenta Holyfield, 39, and Lonnie Hartman, 31, outside of a store. Both were murdered on October 21, 2017 from gunshot wounds
Flowers were placed outside the door of 64-year-old Cynthia Trevillion’s home. She was a teacher at Chicago Waldorf School before she was shot on October 15, 2017
Crosses were placed for Rosaura Martinez, 58, and her five family members. Their bodies were found on February 4, 2016 after they were robbed and stabbed to death
Juan Vasquez, 35, died on January 11, 2017, just 11 days after he was shot in the head. A wilted rose was seen on a wooden cross for the 35-year-old
A mural was painted on the side of the store in an area known as ‘Murder Drive’. The area is also known as the ‘O Block’ because former first lady Michelle Obama grew up around the corner
A memorial was left for Xavier Joy, 23, in a parking lot on November 3, 2017. Joy was shot several times before he died on June 8. 2017. A teddy bear and some flowers were pictured at the memorial
Xavier Joy, 23, was shot several times in a parking lot. A memorial was set up near the court in his honor
A brick with Hadiyah Pendleton’s name is left with other victims of violence at the Kids Off the Block Memorial. Pendleton, 15, was shot in the back on January 13, 2013. He was a majorette who performed during President Barack Obama’s second inauguration nine days prior to the shooting
Community activist William ‘Willie’ Cooper, pictured on a poster next to a balloon, was shot in the mouth and torso with an AR-15 assault riffle during a drive-by shooting. She died at the scene on July 15, 2017
Eduardo Pena, 21, died while driving a vehicle when he was hit from behind by a truck driver and then crashed into a tree. He died from his injuries on October 22, 2017, just two days before his birthday
Antwon High, 26, died from a gunshot wound to the chest on June 20, 2017. Pictured is a paramedic’s glove on the ground near the scene of the shooting
A sign is place on a chair in memory of Miriam Curz Hurtado,31, and Corbin Dallas Barraza, 4. The mother and son were strangled and stabbed to death in their home on September 21, 2017
Michael Fickett, 17, is memorialized on a mural with names of other victims who were murdered. Fickett was shot in the chest and died on August 9, 1992
Damien Santoyo, 14, died on these steps after he was shot in the head during a drive-by shooting. A vigil was set up next to the steps with balloons, flowers and candles. Santoyo died on August 7, 2017
Balloons were tied to a pole in memory of Jeremy Scullark, 28. He was shot and killed while driving in a car on April 19, 2017
Manuel Hernandez, 30, was shot and killed on September 21, 2017. Pictured is the bullet hole in a restaurant window that is linked to his shooting
Irving Estrada, 17, was shot while playing basketball on a court on August 22, 2017. A vigil was placed on the court the next day featuring candles and his numbered shirt
Sedrick Ringer, 50, was shot nine times on June 30, 2017. He died on the scene. Bullet holes are seen near the front porch where Ringer was shot
Elliott Brown, 25, was shot in his car while driving on the Chicago Skyway bridge on January 13, 2016. A cross was laid in honor of Brown in a field near a Chicago church
Elliott Brown, 25, died when he was driving his car in Chicago. He died on January 13, 2016
Emmanuel Fleming, 34, and Michael Swift, 46, were shot on the steps of the Friendship Baptist Church as they arrived for Sunday service on August 13, 2017. Both men died from multiple gunshot wounds. Pictured is a man holding up a sign during the memorial for the two men
Angelique Morris, 17, died from a gunshot wound to the head on July 8, 2017. Candles were placed on the ground in memory of Morris