Famed Chicago, Illinois, retail corridor the “Magnificent Mile” was overtaken by looting Sunday night and the early hours of Monday morning, according to multiple news reports, with the cause of the unrest unknown, while residents and police exchanged gunfire in at least one incident.
The unrest along Michigan Ave., nicknamed the Magnificent Mile for its upscale shopping, began around 11 p.m. CT Sunday night, according to CBS News’ Chicago affiliate.
Police arrived on the scene shortly after midnight, NBC News’ Chicago affiliate reported, responding to reports that hundreds of people had assembled on Michigan Ave and were ransacking stores.
Videos and photos captured by reporters on the ground showed looters carrying goods out of Macy’s, Tesla, Lamborghini, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Coach, Apple and other high-end stores, after having smashed windows and vandalized the storefronts.
Some of the residents involved exchanged gunfire with police officers at around 4:30 a.m., the Chicago Tribune reported, with police reporting no injuries but uncertain if they had injured anyone in the altercation.
Bus and train service to the area has been suspended, according to the NBC affiliate, and bridges over the Chicago River have been lifted, further limiting access to the Magnificent Mile.
Police began gaining control of the unrest around 3 a.m., the Tribune reported, and by 6 a.m., looters had mostly cleared the Michigan Ave. area.
What caused the looting. Around 3 p.m. Sunday police shot and wounded a suspect in the Englewood neighborhood, about 10 miles south of the Magnificent Mile. Police told the CBS affiliate that the suspect was firing at them. The situation turned tense when area residents on social media said the wounded suspect was a teenager, with outraged crowds assembling to face off against police. Officers told CBS that the suspect was in his late teens or early 20’s, and called the confusion “misinformation.” It remains unclear whether this incident is connected to the looting.
“This is a Monday morning in Chicago. This is surreal,” said local CBS reporter Chris Tye, after witnessing the glass and merchandise-covered floor of an area mall that had been looted.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago police have not commented on the overnight looting as of early Monday morning. The unrest comes about three weeks after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that 150 federal agents would be dispatched to Chicago to help quell protests. President Trump previously deployed federal agents to mitigate protests in Portland, Oregon. Actions by agents in Portland, however, were highly controversial, as reports surfaced that agents made arrests without explanation and hauled protesters away in unmarked vehicles. Lightfoot previously opposed federal agents in Chicago. After the DHS announcement was made, however, Lightfoot was cautiously optimistic, according to the NBC affiliate, because the U.S. attorney’s office would work to supervise some of the agents.
Chicago police return fire as looters hit Mag Mile, smashing windows and confronting officers (Chicago Tribune)
I’m a New York-based journalist covering breaking news at Forbes. I hold a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Previous bylines:
I’m a New York-based journalist covering breaking news at Forbes. I hold a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Previous bylines: Gotham Gazette, Bklyner, Thrillist, Task & Purpose and xoJane.
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com