Chicago police respond to large groups of people downtown; 2 officers injured

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police said they responded to several large groups gathering throughout downtown Sunday night, with at least two police officers injured.

The crowd of young people ran wild in the Loop Sunday night, with police estimating the crowd peaked at 400. Officers were outnumbered and overwhelmed.

Preliminary reports from the Chicago Police Department said about 50 people were arrested. Two officers were injured.

"When you have tensions high, the sound of firecrackers going off everywhere, which sometimes can be confused with gunfire, it's just a recipe for disaster," said 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins. "We're really lucky nobody was killed in the Loop last night."

Chicago shooting: Police commander, sergeant shot dispersing crowd shooting fireworks in Austin

Hopkins called the situation mayhem. Though it did not happen in his ward, he drove to the Loop and personally witnessed the chaos. He was briefed by police Monday morning, who told him the activity was coordinated on social media.

Hopkins said the police handled the situation remarkably well.

"I think the police are showing the benefits of the additional training that they've had in the past year. They showed a much better ability to try and contain the activity. There seemed to be more coordination, better communication," He said.

Monday morning a group of activists called for aldermen to give CPD Superintendent David Brown a vote of no confidence following the Fourth of July violence across the city.

"The problem we have is that we have a superintendent that is in over his head, he does not understand the dynamics of our community," said Eric Russell, Pres. Tree of Life Justice League.