Chicago experienced a wave of violence during the weekend of April 15 when teenagers and young adults flooded the downtown area for a “Teen Takeover” event. Videos posted on social media captured young people fighting in the streets, jumping on the roof of a bus, breaking into vehicles and setting a Tesla on fire.
At least 11 people were killed, and more than 26 were wounded in violent scenes that played out near the Millennium Park area, according to NBC Chicago. Fifteen people — nine adults and six juveniles — were arrested in connection with the “reckless and disruptive behavior” seen on Saturday night, April 15, a police spokesperson confirmed as reported by Newsweek.
‘Teen Takeover’ terrorizes Chicago as hundreds of teenagers destroy property, attack tourists pic.twitter.com/miXKjELZTP
— Anny (@anny25717503) April 16, 2023
The city’s newly-elected mayor, Brandon Johnson, responded to the incident by stating that he does not condone the destructive activity and called it “unacceptable.” However, he added that “it is not constructive to demonize youth who have been starved of opportunities in their own communities.”
The mayor-elect also stated that the city must “work to create spaces where people can gather safely and responsibly, under adult guidance and supervision.”
— Brandon Johnson (@Brandon4Chicago) April 16, 2023
Some users criticized Johnson’s response, saying it sided with violent offenders. However, others stated the Johnson is just being cognizant of the root societal causes of the problem.
Last year, Chicago had a reported 695 homicides. This was notably lower than the 797 homicides in 2021, which was reportedly the worst year on record since the 1990s.
Mayor-elect Johnson, who will assume office in May, has promised to address Chicago’s crime situation. In an April interview with ABC, Johnson stressed that there’s a direct correlation between youth unemployment and violence, and that he has a plan to address this on day one in office.
“We’re going to get at the root causes but we’re also going to respond to the immediate crisis, training and promoting 200 more detectives, making sure that we are implementing the consent decree, and of course making sure we are enforcing the red flag laws,” Johnson said. “There’s a direct correlation between youth employment and violence production. We’re going to stand it up day one when I am in office.”
