Brandon Johnson, other officials react to massive Streeterville teen gatherings
The mayor pushed back on calls to move curfews up, but the measure could come up for a vote
Renewed calls for earlier teen curfews in downtown Chicago are again being floated after large gatherings led to chaos and multiple arrests Friday night.
Mayor Brandon Johnson, speaking at the city’s fourth annual Teen Bash at Navy Pier Saturday, reacted for the first time to what occurred near the intersection of Columbus and Illinois on Friday.
“The dangerous behavior that was on display, no one wants to see that, and our police department will continue to hold people accountable,” he said.
Video from the scene captured the chaotic sight as hundreds of teens gathered, with multiple fights breaking out. An individual fired shots in the large crowd, with one 15-year-old suffering a graze wound to the leg.
In a similar gathering near the AMC River East 21 earlier this year, a tourist was shot while walking with her son.
According to Ald. Brian Hopkins, a Chicago police officer suffered a hand injury trying to break up a fight at the location. Two individuals were arrested for battering a police officer and could face felony charges, and two people were arrested for carrying replica firearms.
Hopkins is calling for an earlier curfew for teens to prevent similar incidents from happening again as summer draws closer.