South Loop 7-Eleven looted, 40 arrested in teen takeover
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A South Loop convenience store was looted Sunday night, and dozens of people – mostly teenagers – were arrested, as yet another teen takeover hit a downtown neighborhood.
Police said the group stormed stores and fought through the streets near Roosevelt Road and Canal Street.
As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported, there was still trash Monday afternoon around the 7-Eleven at 560 W. Grenshaw St. – adjacent to a Mobil gas station at Jefferson Street. It was a sign of the chaos that had erupted just hours earlier.
Neighboring businesses said this was the second time a group of teens targeted the area in days.
Dozens of teens were seen raiding the 7-Eleven just after 9 p.m. Monday in a social media video from ChitownCrimechasers.
The store was trashed as young people tossed stolen merchandise into the air and ran away with their arms full of goods.
At one point, a fire extinguisher was set off near the gas tanks outside the store.
In a Snapchat video posted in the aftermath, a customer came to try to get cash from the ATM.
"Look what they did to this 7-Eleven!" the customer said in the Snapchat video.
Chicago Police supervisors were heard encouraging officers to lock people up.
"Let's be clear - for these kids are running in the street, mass arrest. Lock them up," the supervisor was heard saying.
And officers did just that. A total of 40 people – ages 12 to 20 – were taken into custody.
"If you're an officer, you should be putting hands on people and arresting them right now - not watching them walk by you," the supervisor said.
This was a departure from previous large-group situations.
Interim Chicago Police Supt. Fred Waller said police had no choice.
"Our posture has been tolerant, and usually when we say that it's curfew and we ask them to disperse, they do," Waller said. "Yesterday, they, so to speak, crossed the line."
Waller said the group was out of control and refused to cooperate.
"The arrests are a result of the actions. Before we asked them to move, we asked them to go home. It was curfew time, and they did. This time, they refused. They began fighting against each other," Waller said. "We haven't arrested people like that, but this group got so out of hand we had no choice."
Community activists tried to stop the takeover
Businesses in the area had been sent an email over the weekend from Chicago Police, warning them to lock their stores after a "trend announcement" circulated on social media.
Meanwhile, CBS 2's Jermont Terry has learned that some community activists headed to the scene to try to stop the teen takeover. Two of the violence interrupters believe more teens would have been arrested if they had not stepped in.
In the mix Sunday night was Joseph Williams, who was trying to deter the youngsters. Williams is with the nonprofit Mr. Dad's Father's Club.
"It's important to have our program because it gets fathers involved in their children's lives," Williams said.
That is why when word came the teens were preparing for another teen takeover, Williams said, "We didn't want to sit at home and not do anything about it."
So Williams and Charles McKenzie tried convincing the teenager to leave. But the task wasn't easy.
"We were out here running, breaking up fights," said Williams.
And Chicago Police were not out to babysit.
"I said, hey, man, they're not playing," said McKenzie. "They're telling you guys to leave. They're giving you a chance to leave. You guys have to leave."
The crowd eventually moved to the 7-Eleven and went on to ransack, breaking the windows. At that point, the police made the order for the mass arrest.
"That just shows there will be some accountability will be in place, and I hope that it actually brings more awareness for parents to make sure that they know where their children are," Williams said.
McKenzie said the parents did respond to a live feed.
"I saw a father come out, told his daughters: 'Hey, you guys are supposed to be at the show! What are you guys doing here? Get in the car!'" McKenzie said.
The youth advocates say a response team is needed to address the takeovers.
"And when I say a response team, that means you're coming with a plan," Williams said. "You're coming with sprinters. You're coming with everything we need."
Police estimate 300 to 400 people were in the group, getting off the train nearby just after 7:30 p.m. They arrived after a "trend" announcement on social media.
Charges range from reckless conduct and trespass – misdemeanors – to unlawful use of a weapon, which is a felony.
Late Monday, a police POD camera was set up in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven. It was also there on Sunday night, and video from it could lead to more arrests.