Chicago community activists held a "call to action" meeting on Sunday after a number of robberies were reported in a 24-hour span this past weekend.
"The armed robbery.. in Chicago is just out of hand," activist Dr. Kim Tee said, alongside other community leaders, at a news conference in Chinatown.
At least eight robberies occurred between 8:16 p.m. on Saturday and 4:10 a.m. on Sunday at various locations across the city, according to Chicago police. In one incident, two 25-year-old women were walking on a sidewalk at around 2:30 a.m. in the 500 block of South Wells when six men exited a sedan and took their purses at gunpoint, police said.
Two other armed robberies targeting delivery drivers occurred just blocks apart in West Town.
At 8:02 p.m., a 25-year-old man was delivering food in the 1700 block of North Maplewood when three to four men inside a dark-colored sedan took his phone and wallet at gunpoint, authorities stated.
Then, at around 8:16 p.m., a 24-year-old man was delivering food in the 1700 block of North Rockwell when six men exited a blue SUV and silver sedan and stole his phone at gunpoint.
Several additional armed robberies have been reported in recent weeks, including one brazen attack of a rideshare driver that was captured on camera in Chinatown.
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"Fortunately two of the suspects were arrested and one is still at large, but we want the third one to get arrested right now, so they do not harm other residents in the area," Tee said.
Community activists are calling for Chicago's leaders to make some changes, including adding more security cameras around the city in hope of capturing more robbery suspects.
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"We want the crime to stop immediately," Tee said. "The city leaders need to step up and give more power to Chicago police so they can do their job."
The activists are seeking harsher laws and sentences for those responsible and offering a $5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of suspects in the recent robberies.
The aforementioned robberies were reported at the following dates and times:
- 8:02 p.m. Saturday - 1700 block of North Maplewood
- 8:16 p.m. Saturday - 1700 block of North Rockwell
- 10:30 p.m. Saturday - 3000 block of North Tripp
- 11:25 p.m. Saturday - 800 block of North Leavitt
- 11:41 p.m. Saturday - 300 block of North Leavitt
- 2:30 a.m. Sunday - 1800 block of West Fullerton
- 2:30 a.m. Sunday - 500 block of North Wells
- 4:10 a.m. Sunday - 100 block of West 16th Street
