More than 30 injured in weekend shootings in Chicago; alderman pushes curfew for downtown
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It was another violent weekend in Chicago, with nearly three dozen people shot by just Sunday afternoon, including an 18-year-old girl who was shot and killed in Englewood Sunday morning. Many of the victims were teens, and now Alderman Brian Hopkins is pushing a plan to protect them — an 8 p.m. curfew for young people in the downtown area.
Regular classes for Chicago Public Schools students ended just days ago, and in this time, several teenagers have been shot, including the teen who died.
Police say the shooting happened in the 1300 block of West 72nd Street around 3:30 a.m. Neighbors say they heard at least eight gunshots.
On Friday night, two teens and a 12-year-old boy were wounded in a pair of shootings in Douglas. It happened near 31st Street Beach. Police say someone in a silver sedan opened fire, hitting the 12-year-old, who was walking with a group of people. A 15-year-old girl was sitting in a car.
A 16-year-old boy was shot less than an hour later, about half a mile away. He was standing in a fast-food restaurant parking lot in the 3400 block of South King Drive.
This all comes as Hopkins says he plans to introduce the new curfew for teens in the Central Business District. He proposes the curfew begin at 8 p.m. for those under 18.
This comes after residential complaints about the increase in violent incidents in the Loop, the Magnificent Mile, and Streeterville in the last month.
In May, a video surfaced of a knife fight on the Mag Mile. A group wielding large knives was seen swinging at each other outside the Chicago Marriott Downtown hotel.
Days later, a woman was robbed of her belongings at gunpoint near Federal Plaza.
Police initially said they planned on enforcing a 10 p.m. curfew, as businesses also implement a policy requiring teens to be escorted by adults to prevent problems.
Under the new curfew proposal, teens attending city events, such as Lollapalooza or NASCAR, and those with jobs in the area would be exempt.
Hopkins said he plans to introduce the 8 p.m. curfew to City Council on Wednesday.
