Chicago Cemeteries Are Another Site For Victims Of Violence

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Burial after burial after burial. It's another way to look at the spike in Chicago gun violence.

CBS 2's Jim Williams has the story from Mount Hope Cemetery.

A well-known funeral home director said this is what cemeteries are up against these days: burying the victims of Chicago's violence.

The burial of a loved one, while sad, is usually tranquil. But at Mount Hope Cemetery crisis responder Andrew Holmes has seen a caravan of vehicles entering and exiting over four weeks.

In videos shot by Holmes, there are multiple open plots in the same areas, ready for the coffins.

Holmes said there are so many burials at one time here because of Chicago's gun violence.

"Some of the family members that I have talked to when violence has struck their homes, I see them a week later going right into the cemetery," said Holmes.

One Chicago police officer told CBS 2 off-camera that on Saturdays, there's often a traffic jam in front of the cemetery. One procession going in, another waiting.

"A 30 to 40 minute wait just to get inside to bury your loved one," said Holmes.

Crisis responder Michael Airhart said it makes a heartbreaking experience even harder.

"A conveyor belt of caskets. It looks horrible. If you look at it and see it, it would bring tears to your eyes," said Airhart.

"Hopefully when you see this footage inside this cemetery maybe someone will say 'hey, I need to leave this gun violence alone because that could be me sitting there waiting and my family waiting to bury me,'" said Holmes.

One source told CBS 2 cemeteries like Mount Hope usually reserve an area for people from low income families and that at the end of the day, at the same time, they close all the plots.

CBS 2 has reached out to the cemetery owner but has yet to receive a response.