Looters damage property in Chicago's Magnificent Mile, shots fired - Chicago Tribune
(Reuters) - Hundreds of people looted Chicago’s Magnificent Mile commercial district early Monday, smashing windows and clashing with the police for hours including at least one exchange of gunfire, the Chicago Tribune reported, citing police.
The Chicago police declined to comment when contacted by Reuters early Monday.
People darted in and out of stores along Michigan Avenue carrying shopping bags full of merchandise, the report said.
The glass pane of a Nordstrom store was shattered, according to a photograph published on the Tribune’s website.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The Tribune reported it was unclear what had provoked the vandalism but noted that anti-police graffiti had been spotted in at least two areas.
Chicago police exchanged gunfire with looters and arrested more than 100 people after crowds swarmed Chicago's luxury commercial district early Monday, looting stores, smashing windows and clashing with officers for hours, police said.
www.reuters.com
Police return gunfire amid looting in downtown Chicago
(CNN)Someone fired shots at police in downtown Chicago on Monday morning, and the officers returned fire, police spokesman Tom Ahem said in a post on Twitter.
Police involved shooting Michigan and Lake. Shots fired at police who returned fire. No officers injured. Unknown at this time if offenders were shot.
#ChicagoPolice pic.twitter.com/scVQVmT7YG
— Tom Ahern (@TomAhernCPD)
August 10, 2020
A heavy police presence had been visible on Michigan Avenue downtown, where large groups gathered and vandalized retail businesses overnight.
Bus and train service in and around downtown Chicago was suspended at police request, according to updates from the
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA).
CNN crews near the area reported seeing a large number of police cars in the retail district. Video taken outside of Saks Fifth Avenue showed armed police officers standing near the entry door in which the glass had been broken out with the security gate inside partially up.
Another video showed a large crowd gathered outside of the Coach store. Windows in the store were shattered. In a separate video, someone could be seen tossing a projectile at the window of a jewelry store on Michigan Avenue.
Police told CNN large crowds began to gather shortly after midnight. They did not have any specific information on the size of the crowd, amount of damage, or level of police response, only saying, "This is an ongoing situation."
Video shows looters on Michigan Avenue and damage to Saks Fifth Avenue, Coach and Pandora stores.
It was unclear if the unrest was related to an officer-involved shooting in Chicago on Sunday. A "hostile" crowd with "emotions running high" gathered shortly after the shooting, according to Chicago Police Deputy Yolanda Talley.
Talley said during a press conference Sunday that the group who gathered had misinformation about what happened and when the crowd became violent two arrests were made. One officer suffered a hurt shoulder, one was sprayed with mace and the window of a police vehicle was smashed with a brick, Talley said.
"This is a direct response to one agitator on the scene getting people worked up without having the whole story," said Talley.
Police said in a statement that they responded Sunday to a call about 2:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. ET) that a person had a gun. When they arrived, the man described to be in his late teens to mid-20s ran away and began firing at officers, the statement said. Police said they returned fire.
The suspect's gun was recovered from the scene.
According to the statement, the suspect was taken to University of Chicago Hospital and his condition was unknown. Three officers were taken to a hospital for observation.
More than 100 people were arrested in Chicago after an overnight fit of violence that appears to have begun with police exchanging gunfire with a 20-year-old man, Police Superintendent David Brown said Monday.
www.cnn.com