Multiple recent shootings near Chicago’s 31st Street Beach have prompted 4th Ward Ald. Lamont Robinson to demand an earlier curfew in hope of curbing the violence. NBC Chicago’s Courtney Sisk reports.
A series of violent incidents at and around Chicago’s 31st Street Beach has led to the imposition of an earlier curfew on a temporary basis, an alderman told NBC Chicago on Wednesday.
According to Ald. Lamont Robinson, who represents the city’s 4th ward, the curfew at the beach will be moved up from 11 p.m. to 9 p.m. beginning on Thursday night, and will remain in place for at least 10 days.
Chicago police have not yet commented on the decision to bump up the curfew.
Robinson met with police this week to discuss the proposal and to push for the earlier curfew, at least on a temporary basis.
"Enough is enough. We have to make sure we have a safe beach for all our beachgoers,” he said.
This news comes after a series of violent incidents at the beach, with the most recent occurring Saturday when a 17-year-old began stabbing a 26-year-old woman during an altercation. The 26-year-old, who is a concealed carry license holder, pulled out a gun and shot the 17-year-old, Chicago police.
Both are expected to survive their injuries from the incident, but it was the latest in a series of violent attacks that have occurred in areas near that beach in recent weeks.
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According to Robinson, there have been at least four shootings near the beach within a three-week span, which he revealed during an interview with Block Club Chicago.
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One of those shootings took place in a parking lot on June 19. At approximately 10:05 p.m., officers responding to a shots fired call discovered that two women had been shot. A 22-year-old woman was shot multiple times in the chest, and later died from her injuries. A second woman, a 20-year-old, was struck in the thigh, police said.
The hope is that the earlier curfew will curtail violence, as most of the attacks have occurred at or after sunset.
"The issue is when the beach closes, we have to be able to enforce the closure and make sure there’s no loitering that’s happened after hours," Robinson said. “We know there is not enough officers. We know we’re struggling there. That’s why it’s important we pull in the park district and the private security that works at the beach as well.”
Robinson has also pushed for security barriers near the beach, as well as enhanced security in parking lots near the area. That includes a Chicago Public Schools parking lot that residents routinely use to park when existing lots are full.
