Chicago police break up weekend crowds defying Illinois stay-at-home order

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Chicago police had to break up groups of people over the weekend that were violating the Illinois stay-at-home order in place over the coronavirus pandemic. New Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said it’s stretching police resources. Some gatherings had up to 150 people. There was a large gathering in the street in the city’s Lawndale neighborhood. That’s where five teenagers were injured in a drive-by shooting near 13th and Lawndale. All of the victims are said to be in fair condition, and detectives are still looking for the shooter. Elsewhere on the West Side, there was another party where people were spotted hugging without masks and not following social distancing. In downtown Chicago, groups gathered to watch a drag race on Wacker Drive before police broke it up. At a news conference over the weekend, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said we’ll never get out of this crisis if people keep hosting and going to parties. “Fact is, people need to follow the rules. People will get sick if they don’t follow the rules. We need local government and local police to make sure people are following these rules,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said at his daily coronavirus briefing Sunday. “Look, there’s no other way for us to do it. We need the public to comply. From March 25 to May 1, Chicago police reported nearly 6,000 dispersals, 18 arrests and 13 citations. Large gatherings or events may result in city fines of up to $5,000. Read the full article The post Chicago police break up weekend crowds defying Illinois stay-at-home order appeared first on American Police Beat Magazine.