Hours after Chicago police shot a young man who turned and fired at them, hundreds of people went on a looting and vandalism spree in various parts of the Windy City early Monday, according to reports.
The mayhem began about 2:30 p.m. Sunday, when cops responded to reports of a man with a gun in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side and located a person who fit the description near Moran Park, the Chicago Tribune reported.
While running away from police, the suspect turned around and fired at them. The officers returned fire, wounding the gunman, who was transported to University of Chicago Hospital in unknown condition, according to the newspaper.
Police and witnesses later said a crowd of about 30 people faced off against cops near 56th and Aberdeen streets.
Authorities said someone spread false information to the group that police had shot and wounded a child.
The looters and vandals rushed through the city’s Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown, where they were seen carrying bags full of stolen goods, the Tribune reported.
They repeatedly tried to smash the windows of the Omega watch store at Delaware Place and Michigan Avenue.
“The watch store,” one cop said. “They’re gonna get it eventually.”
Some people were seen running out of a damaged PNC Bank at Huron and State streets, while nearby stores also were cleaned out by looters.
Police arrested several people and recovered at least one gun, officials told the news outlet.
One fleeing woman carrying shopping bags fell on the sidewalk as an officer pursued her, and another woman appeared to have been pepper-sprayed.
“We do have an officer that was maced by someone in the crowd. We do have an officer that sustained a shoulder injury from the incident with the crowd,” Deputy Police Chief Delonda Tally said, Fox 32 reported.
“One of our vehicles, the windows were shattered by a brick,” Tally added.
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