Nearly 40 teens charged after 'disorderly' gathering in South Loop: Chicago police

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Forty people, mostly teenagers, were charged with misdemeanors after Chicago police said a large group became disorderly on Sunday night.

Police responded to the South Loop's 100-block of West Roosevelt Road at about 8 p.m. where they said the group gathered. Police said the group became disorderly and disregarded verbal commands by officers.

Witness Alvin Jackson said at first, things appeared to be peaceful. Then, a small group of teenagers started to block traffic and attempt to break into stores.

"It was just a few kids, and then it got thicker and thicker and thicker, and then they kept coming and coming, and kept coming," Jackson said. "Throwing bottles, jumping on people's cars, trying to start fights and trying to run into stores and stuff like that."

Jackson added that aside from the few dozen causing problems, the majority of the young crowd appeared to be looking for a place to hang out.

No injuries were reported, but some of the worse damage was captured at a 7-Eleven off Grenshaw. A video shows the group running out with items from the store, some throwing those items up in the air while others run around.

Another video taken from Roosevelt and Canal captured the crowd running in multiple directions as officers directed them to leave the area. CPD asked store owners to close up shop in the chaos.

During an unrelated news briefing Monday, Interim Chicago Police Supt. Fred Waller was asked about Sunday's incident. The crowd "got so out of hand we had no choice" but to make arrests, despite more successful attempts to break up similar recent gatherings in which minors stayed out past curfew, Waller said.

"Our posture has been tolerant, and usually when we say that it's curfew and we ask them to disperse, they do. Yesterday, they, so to speak, crossed the line," Waller said.

The arrests "should send a message" to the families of the suspects, Waller said. "We know everyone doesn't have a predictable home life, but we're trying to deal with the youth in a certain way - to try to offer other things for them to do and other avenues."

Forty people, ranging in age from 12-20, were taken into custody, police said. The youngest suspects arrested were 12 and 13 years old.

-Thirty juveniles ages 12-17 were charged with one count each of misdemeanor reckless conduct.

-Two 17-year-old boys were each charged with a misdemeanor count of reckless conduct/bodily harm

- A 16-year-old girl was charged with a misdemeanor count of reckless conduct/bodily harm and one misdemeanor count of unlawful use of a weapon.

-A 14-year-old boy was charged with criminal trespass and obstructing identification.

-A 15-year-old boy was charged with a misdemeanor criminal trespass to state land.

-A 15-year-old boy was charged with a felony count of unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a concealed weapon along with citations for disorderly conduct and possession of a laser sight/firearm silencer/muffler.

-A 17-year-old boy was charged with a felony county of unlawful use of a weapon machine gun/auto weapon along with citations for having a high capacity magazine with metal piercing bullets and a curfew violation.

-An 18-year-old was charged with misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct and obstructing identification and two citations of resisting a police officer or aiding escape.

-Another 18-year-old was charged with a misdemeanor count of reckless conduct.

-A 20-year-old was charged with a misdemeanor count of reckless conduct and two issuances of a warrant.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.

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