Chicago, IL — A shootout between a suspect and the police unleashed riots and looting early Monday in downtown Chicago. Chicago is one of the cities where President Trump’s administration sent federal forces weeks ago due to the increase in crime.
“This was an act of violence against our police officers and against our city,” Police Superintendent David Brown said in a report. “I pledge to pursue these offenders to the fullest extent of the law,” he said. “[The Chicago Police Department] will not stand by as our beautiful downtown becomes someplace people fear.”
About 400 additional officers were dispatched to downtown Chicago where riots and looting took place which lasted hours. Hundreds of people smashed windows, looted shops, and clashed with police officers. More than 100 people were detained and 13 officers were injured, authorities said.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot agreed with the police that the incidents did not involve a protest. “This was purely serious criminal conduct,” she said. “This was an assault on our city,” she said.
Videos of the vandalism showed large crowds of people making their way into businesses and exiting through broken windows and doors laden with clothing and other merchandise. Images of cash registers strewn through the streets of downtown Chicago also circulated along with ATMs that had been ripped from walls or taken from inside businesses.
