14 Arrested, 15-Year-Old Shot As Hundreds Of Teens Swarm Chicago Neighborhood: Reports

CHICAGO — Hundreds of teens swarmed Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood Friday night, according to reports, with a 15-year-old shot, an 18-year-old stabbed and 14 people arrested in the chaos.

The teens were captured on video blocking traffic, fighting, throwing bottles, and, in at least one case, using a stun gun, in the area of North Columbus Drive and East Illinois Street, WGN reported.

The 15-year-old was shot around 9:40 p.m. in the 400 block of North Cityfront Plaza Drive, police said, adding responding officers saw a large group flee the scene and found the boy on the ground with a graze wound to the leg. He was taken to Lurie Children’s Hospital and was listed in good condition, according to police, who said no one was immediately in custody for the shooting and detectives were investigating.

The 18-year-old who was stabbed had been in an argument with a group inside a store when he was injured in the back with a knife before the group fled, police said, noting the incident occurred around 8:45 p.m. in the 100 block of North State Street. The teen was brought to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition, according to police, who said there was no one immediately in custody in connection with the stabbing, but detectives were on the case.

Ald. Brian Hopkins, who is chairman of the city’s public safety committee, told WGN that 14 people were arrested — three on suspicion of battery of a peace officer — and six minors were taken into custody for violating curfew.

“These were teenagers punching and striking police officers,” he told WGN, noting teens also “severely shoplifted” a 7-Eleven at North McClurg Court and East Ontario Street, walking out with armfuls of items.

The alderman has filed an ordinance seeking an 8 p.m. curfew for unattended minors, according to WGN.

Mayor Brandon Johnson told the outlet in a prepared statement that he opposed the curfew because it would “just displace these young people into the nearest neighborhood.”

“What we have to do is enforce the current citywide curfew law that we already have in place before we consider additional measures,” according to the statement, published in full by WGN. “And we need to make sure that there are additional safe spaces for our young people this spring and summer.”