Chicago Mayor Ups Police Presence After Night Of “Brazen” Looting & Unrest

More than 100 people were arrested, two people were shot, 13 police were injured, and public transportation was put on hold after a night of chaos.

A person stands near a looted store after parts of the city had widespread looting and vandalism | Getty Images
A person stands near a looted store after parts of the city had widespread looting and vandalism | Getty Images

Crowds of people looted businesses in downtown Chicago as unrest and violence erupted overnight Sunday, leading police to increase their presence in parts of the city. The police response will be part of a “neighborhood protection plan,” according to the mayor.

Photos and videos taken Sunday night and early Monday morning of the city showed windows shattered, and stores and businesses destroyed by looters. One video showed a car crashing into the window of a business. Bridges in and out of the city were raised early Monday morning to redirect traffic, and some buses and trains were shut down temporarily overnight as police tried to control the crowds.

Much of the activity occurred along the “Magnificent Mile,” one of Chicago’s main retail and tourist districts.

Police made more than 100 arrests, and 13 officers were injured, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said during a press conference Monday. A security guard and a civilian were both shot and taken to the hospital in critical condition, Brown said.

From Friday to Sunday, a total of 31 shootings were reported, including three murders.

According to police, the night of looting and chaos erupted after officers responded to the call of a man with a gun in the Englewood-area on Sunday afternoon. Brown said that when officers approached the 20-year-old man suspected of carrying a gun, he fled.

Police said the man started firing at officers during the chase, and that officers fired back and shot the man. Brown said the man was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive.

After the shooting, Brown said a crowd gathered on the south side of Chicago and that “tempers flared, fueled by misinformation.” He did not specify what the misinformation was, but Chicago Deputy Chief Yolanda Talley told reporters on Sunday that misinformation about the man’s age and a confiscated cell phone led to the escalating tensions.

Brown went on to say that several social media posts encouraged people to start looting the downtown area and that it was not an organized protest.

About 400 officers were dispatched to the downtown area in what Brown called “an incident of pure criminality, an act of violence against our police officers, and against our city.”

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot echoed Brown’s comments on Monday, saying it was “brazen and extensive criminal looting and destruction.” She added that large chain stores, small businesses and restaurants were all targeted by looters.

“To be clear, this had nothing to do with legitimate, protected First Amendment expression,” Lightfoot said. “What happened in our city last night and this morning of course is deeply painful for every Chicagoan.”

Officers will not have days off until further notice, Brown said, as the department plans to ramp up police presence throughout the city. He added that every night from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. residents will have limited access to the downtown Chicago area until further notice. Mayor Lightfoot said the measures will be in place “until we know that our neighborhoods are safe.”

Brown also said the department is investigating hours of footage from Sunday night to identify those who were involved.

“We are waking up in shock this morning,” Lightfoot said. “Our residents deserve to be safe.”

According to Brown, more than 6,000 guns have been recovered this year, including 149 guns over the weekend.