New Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke vows to lower 'war zone numbers' of Chicago violence

The county’s new top prosecutor highlighted Illinois’ assault weapons ban as a key tool in tamping down the violence she says has “overshadowed” the region.
By Mitchell Armentrout
Dec 2, 2024, 1:04pm CST




Eileen O’Neill Burke takes the oath of office and is sworn in Monday as the Cook County state’s attorney during an event at The Ivy Room in River North.

Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke vowed Monday to crack down on gun criminals as she takes the reins as the top law enforcement official in a county she says is “being overshadowed by crime.”

“We have unparalleled opportunities here. We have world-class universities, we have infrastructure. We even have a fresh water supply,” O’Neill Burke said after a ceremonial swearing-in as the county’s top prosecutor before hundreds of supporters at the Ivy Room in River North.

“We are primed to boom, but we are being overshadowed by crime right now,” she said. “While our crime rates are beginning to come down, the progress is not sufficient, particularly when it comes to gun violence.”

O’Neill Burke pointed to the recent killings of Chicago police officer Enrique Martinez and Oak Park Police Detective Allan Reddins among the “war zone numbers” of people being wounded by gun violence.

“Right now, we are having a mass shooting on a regular basis. We are becoming numb to the numbers. I don’t want to become numb. I want to do something about it,” O’Neill Burke said to applause, promising “safety and a fair criminal justice system.”

“While we have a crime issue, we also have an abundance of hope and opportunity,” she said, reiterating support for restorative justice programs along with a tougher stance on gun charges.



Eileen O’Neill Burke speaks after taking the oath of office and being sworn in Monday as the Cook County state’s attorney during an event at The Ivy Room in River North.

Monday technically marked O’Neill Burke’s second full day on the job. Over the weekend, she was sworn in from her home via Zoom by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy Cunningham ahead of the midnight deadline heading into Sunday, Dec. 1 — that’s the date state’s attorney terms officially begin under county law.

The newly minted top prosecutor’s ceremonial oath-taking drew political heavyweights from across Illinois, including Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi and a slew of Chicago City Council members, among other officials.

O’Neill Burke, 59, will forgo a $17,633-per-month pension as a former Illinois appellate court justice and a former assistant state’s attorney while serving as the county’s top prosecutor, which will pay $228,613.