According to the Chicago Police Department, a total of 15 people — nine adults and six minors — were arrested late Saturday night after what appeared to be hundreds of people gathered near Millennium Park, with some engaging in “reckless and disruptive behavior,” police said.
People jumping on cars in the middle of the street, swarms of young people running and drivers performing burnouts were among the scenes that played out during large, "disruptive" gatherings of mainly teenagers in downtown Chicago this past weekend.
A total of 15 people were taken into police custody Saturday night - most on charges of reckless conduct - after what appeared to be hundreds of people converged on an area near Millennium Park. A similar situation unfolded a day prior at 31st Street Beach, as a large meetup of teenagers took place, and at one point, a 14-year-old boy was shot.
Video footage taken Friday night shows a car in the middle of the street engulfed in flames, causing smoke to billow into the sky, as around a dozen Chicago police officers block off the area. Meanwhile, a loud speaker recording repeated the words "no loitering, please disperse" as people left the general vicinity, and some explosions erupted from the vehicle fire.
Nearby, several groups were seen running from the beach while screaming and heading toward DuSable Lake Shore Drive. The following night, violence erupted once again as large crowds descended on downtown, although they mainly stayed in the Loop and Millennium Park - as opposed to 31st Street Beach.
At around 10 p.m., two teenage boys - 13 and 14 years old - were shot by an unknown gunman while standing in a crowd near East Washington Street and North Michigan Avenue. Footage from that night shows likely hundreds of people blocking off a major street as a few jumped on a car. In one instance, a group was seen standing on top of an enclosed entrance to a CTA station as people walked on by.
Repeated scenes showed people running throughout the Loop, with police often visible in the camera's view. Footage showed dozens of Chicago police officers walking in unison, patrolling Madison Street west of Michigan Avenue. Officers were seen, at times, surrounding groups of people that had gathered, and in some instances, apprehending people and placing them into police vehicles.
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Separate video footage revealed multiple drivers appearing to do burnouts at a Loop intersection, as police patrolled nearby. Photos obtained by NBC 5 showed damaged vehicles on the streets, including a minivan that had its rear windshield shattered and front windshield heavily damaged.
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The "reckless" and "disruptive" incidents have prompted some activists and business owners to call for officials to reinstate last summer's citywide curfew for minors. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson both issued statements regarding the chaotic scenes that erupted during the weekend. You can read both here.
