Chicago reports 24 shootings and five murders in one weekend

Police confirmed that there had been five murders over the weekend

Twenty-four shootings and five murders took place across Chicago over the weekend amid a spike in gun violence in the third-largest US city, police say.

Two children were hurt when gunmen opened fire at a gathering on Saturday.

The most recent fatal shooting occurred on Sunday morning. A 52-year-old man was found dead with a bullet wound to the head.

Last year Chicago recorded 561 murders, more than the two biggest US cities - New York and Los Angeles - combined.

There were 44 murders in Chicago in the first two months of 2019.

The two children shot on Saturday were injured while attending a baby shower in the South Side. They are in a critical but stable condition.

Police say the shooting could have "stemmed from an ongoing gang conflict" in the area.

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Later on Saturday, a 19-year-old man was shot dead in the south of the city as he was standing outside with a friend.

Shots were fired at him from a vehicle, the Chicago Sun Times reported. The friend is said to be in a good condition.

On Sunday morning, a 32-year-old man was shot in the back, also in the South Side. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Last August, Chicago Police asked for more help to combat gun violence following a spate of shootings over one weekend.

Chicago police say that as of 1 March, they had seized more than 1,600 illegal guns this year. The figures equate to one illegal gun taken off the street every 53 minutes.