Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said the city’s “no consequences” philosophy toward criminality in May and June is responsible for a new round of looting and rioting.
An Apple store, a Best Buy and a liquor store are among the businesses targeted shortly after midnight Monday as a monthslong wave of violence and chaos in the Windy City continued.
“We have to have consequences for the arrests that Chicago police officers make through great threat to their own safety,” Mr. Brown said Monday. “They’re being shot at to make these arrests. And these looters, these thieves, these criminals they are being emboldened by no consequences in the criminal system. They get released. Many charges get dropped.”
Authorities say the looting was planned on social media after an incident in which police were forced to return gunfire with a fleeing suspect.
A 20-year-old man, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center after the confrontation.
The suspect has four previous arrests on charges of burglary, child endangerment and domestic battery, WGN reported.
“In the last seven days, a total of nine officers have been shot at in Chicago,” Mr. Brown continued. “What we are seeing is violence against police.”
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot assured reporters that she has the situation under control.
“This is not an incident that requires the National Guard. Period. Full Stop,” she said.
Roughly 100 people were arrested and 13 officers were injured during the overnight crime spree, the network added.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx told reporters that now is not the time to be “pointing fingers” regarding Chicago’s widespread violence.
“All hands on deck means instead of pointing fingers, we work together,” she said.
What happened overnight was an act of violence against this city. We will not tolerate these actions and we will hold those responsible accountable. pic.twitter.com/liaRoMIgUp
— Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) August 10, 2020
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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