Numerous stores were vandalized and looted along the Magnificent Mile and other parts of Downtown early Monday morning, as crowds descended on the area after Chicago Police shot a man following a confrontation in Englewood.
The scene was reminiscent of the widespread looting that followed the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May. At that time, Mayor Lori Lightfoot imposed a curfew that lasted into the first week of June.
Monday morning’s violence erupted hours after police shot a man in his 20s who officers say had fired at them, according to Block Club Chicago. His condition was unknown.
Looters smashed store windows and stole merchandise from numerous businesses including Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Gucci, Burberry, Macy’s, Best Buy and a Walgreens in the Wrigley Building, Block Club reported. Affected stores included those in River North, along with the Near North Side, the Gold Coast, the Loop and the South Loop. In Lincoln Park, the Apple store was also damaged, according to the report.
The Chicago Tribune reported that the crowds numbered in the hundreds.
Near Michigan Avenue and Lake Street, officers exchanged gunfire with people in the crowd and the police SWAT team was sent in, Block Club reported. Some of the looters had driven to the locations, according to the outlet.
Following the June looting and rioting that left numerous stores damaged, Gov. J.B. Pritzker called on insurance companies to expedite their claims for those damaged small businesses, and implement a 60-day freeze on policy cancellations or non-renewals. [Block Club, Tribune] — Alexi Friedman