Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Monday that federal law enforcement efforts cannot by themselves solve Chicago’s violent crime problems, arguing that cooperation from local political leaders is necessary after a deadly Juneteenth weekend that left multiple people dead and dozens wounded across the city.

Speaking on Fox News, Blanche drew a distinction between cooperation among law enforcement agencies and support from elected officials.

“What you have is a situation in Chicago, and you can contrast that to Washington, D.C. So in Chicago, yes, there’s federal agents there, and they’re working cases, and they’re doing great work,” Blanche said.

“But when there’s not a partnership with local leadership, it’s not the cops on the ground.”

Blanche said federal assistance produces results when local officials actively work with Washington to address crime.

“When that happened in D.C., as you just showed, it worked. We did it in Memphis [Tennessee] and it worked,” he said.

“It’s shocking that Chicago’s leaders refuse help from the federal government.”

His comments came after a violent weekend in Chicago that included a mass shooting during a Juneteenth celebration on the South Side.

Chicago police said at least 12 people were shot late Friday when an SUV pulled up and two people inside opened fire on a crowd gathered in the Princeton Park neighborhood. The victims ranged in age from 17 to 47, and several were hospitalized with serious injuries.

Police said the suspects fled the scene, and the investigation remains ongoing.

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