The city of Chicago experienced chaos and destruction Sunday night, with looting and property damage stretching from the Loop all the way up to the Near North Side and including Chicago’s Miracle Mile. News outlets are reporting that it appears to be an organized attack. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Police Superintendent, David Brown, however, stated in a press briefing Monday morning that it was not.
Video shows people running out of parked cars and breaking into stores. CBS 2’s, Ryan Baker, reports that former Bears player Patrick Mannelly watched the looting from his high-rise condo and saw cars driving up to a U-Haul truck and putting stolen goods into the trailer.
The Gold Coast is being looted right now. What the hell is going on @chicagosmayor ? 3:11am. WTF! pic.twitter.com/SF0x4q6LIb
— Patrick Mannelly (@PatrickMannelly) August 10, 2020
The violence was sparked by a tense moment on Sunday afternoon in the Englewood neighborhood where a 20-year-old man shot at officers who returned fire and struck the shooter. A large crowd, responding to false rumors the young man was a child, gathered at the scene to hurl things at officers who were holding the line to protect the crime scene.
Brown said the shooter had four previous arrests with charges including burglary, child endangerment, and domestic battery.
After the shooting, Brown said, a crowd gathered on the South Side. Chicago PD became aware of several social media posts encouraging looting downtown, so some 400 officers were dispatched downtown.
“As of now, Chicago police have made more than 100 arrests for looting, disorderly conduct, battery against police, among other charges. A total of 13 officers have been injured throughout the night, including a sergeant who was struck with a bottle. Another officer had his nose broken as he fought with a group of looters,” Brown said.
Social media is replete with videos of the violence that took place Sunday night.
CHICAGO: looters overtake a Walgreens in downtown
The man who shot this video claims he called the police and they would not respond to the incident
He was shocked the city wasn’t able to do anything. This is the new normal in large cities
— E (@ElijahSchaffer) August 10, 2020
Breaking #Looting in #Chicago. This at Block37 just outside of @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/H3fVpSqRTn
— Jeremy Ross (@JeremyAdamRoss) August 10, 2020
This is Macy’s on State Street. Looters going through the entrance on Washington Street. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/AkhpjQoo40
— Vi Nguyen (@ViNguyen) August 10, 2020
There’s a caravan of dozens of cars filled with looters hitting Chicago’s luxury store fronts. pic.twitter.com/Ej4plpuLMP
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 10, 2020
CHICAGO: widespread rioting and looting tonight
— E (@ElijahSchaffer) August 10, 2020
Aftermath of one area looted in Chicago last night. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/f9GsrjwS8m
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) August 10, 2020
Looter uses vehicle to break into a business at the Chicago BLM riot overnight. #BlackLivesMatter #ChicagoRiots https://t.co/9CaddwItYO
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) August 10, 2020
Brown reported that in the last seven days, a total of nine officers have been shot in Chicago. There were 31 shootings throughout the city Friday through Sunday, three of which were murders. “This was an act of violence against our police officers and against our city,” said Brown.
“I pledge to pursue these offenders to the fullest extent of the law. A heavy police presence will continue throughout the downtown area today and until further notice. Officers will return to working 12-hour shifts and all days off have been canceled until further notice.” Brown also announced that downtown access will be restricted 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot also spoke Monday morning saying, “These individuals engaged in what only could be described as brazen and extensive criminal looting and destruction. To be clear, this had nothing to do with legitimate, protected First Amendment expression.”
The Mayor pointed out, “These same stores that were hit last night were hit previously not just by looting, but closures due to COVID-19…”
To the looters, the Mayor said:
There is no justification for criminal behavior, ever. You have no right, no right, to take and destroy the property of others. Our residents deserve to be safe. Our businesses deserve to understand and enjoy safety and security of their property and in their employees. And our police officers deserve to be able to do their job without having to worry about shots being fired, projectiles being thrown, and being maced. This is not anywhere near acceptable. And I call upon our state’s attorney and our courts to make sure these individuals who are arrested and those to come are held accountable. Put your best people on this. We have made the case, we have the video, we have the officer testimony; these people need to be held accountable and not cycle through the system.
