In wake of recent large teen gatherings in downtown Chicago that were associated with two separate shootings last month, the Chicago Police Department has issued a letter to families of Chicago Public Schools students urging cooperation.
Large teen gatherings have taken place in multiple downtown neighborhoods, with recent gatherings in Streeterville leading to renewed calls for an earlier curfew for those under the age of 18.
The full text of the letter, written by CPD and distributed by CPS, can be read below:
“We know that as the weather grows warmer, Chicago’s young people will want to spend more time outside enjoying their city. Today, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) is asking for your partnership to make sure our youth stay safe and supported.Some recent events advertised on social media have led to large, unsupervised groups of teens and emerging adults from in and around Chicago gathering in the downtown area. Last month, two shootings were associated with these gatherings. To protect your children’s safety, the Chicago Police Department strongly encourages parents to refrain from allowing youth to attend these events.The CPD’s goal is to ensure public safety while maintaining peace. Therefore, in instances of large gatherings, we will use de-escalation and dispersal techniques to encourage our young people to comply with the law. This will be particularly important in situations where young people are walking in roadways and/or obstructing the public way. Individuals who fail to voluntarily comply with lawful police orders may be subject to arrest.As a reminder, curfew hours for the City of Chicago are as follows:
10 p.m. for minors 12 and older 8:30 p.m. for minors younger than 12, except on Fridays and Saturdays, when the curfew is 9 p.m.In all instances, curfew hours remain in effect until 6:00 a.m. the following day.As long as it is safe to do so, members of the CPD will make every attempt to educate young people on these rules and have them disperse voluntarily before enforcing curfew laws. Protective action will only be taken when a minor refuses to comply despite those efforts.We want our young people to explore and enjoy the great city they live in. But large, unsupervised gatherings promoted on social media are not the best way to do that. Instead, we urge families to explore the many offerings available through your children’s schools, community and faith-based organizations, and city agencies like the Chicago Park District and Chicago Public Library.We thank you for your partnership as we work together to ensure our city’s youth remain happy, engaged, and above all, safe.”
The heightened concerns follow recent violent incidents, including the shooting of a tourist in Streeterville during a large gathering in early March.
A large teen gathering took place just weeks later in Streeterville, with a teen sustaining a gunshot wound amid a chaotic scene.
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