Chicago law enforcement is bracing for a hostile week at the Democratic National Convention as the city still recovers from a crime-plagued weekend.
At least 11 people were shot in Chicago over the weekend, including three fatally, in another weekend of violence that hit the city.
With police resources already stretched thin, anticipation of protests and potential looting has prompted several businesses to board up their facades.
Tens of thousands of protesters are expected to take to the streets throughout the Democratic National Convention (DNC), and while Chicago officials approved a demonstration called the “March on the DNC” near the convention, Mayor Brandon Johnson insisted the city will be prepared.
Chicago was hit by crime over the weekend, with at least 11 people shot across the city, including the death of a man who was killed by police (pictured) on Sunday.
In anticipation of protests ahead of the Democratic National Convention, businesses across the city have closed their doors to survive a potentially crime-ridden week.
More than a dozen people have been shot, including at least two officer-involved shootings in Chicago during the violent weekend leading up to the start of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday.
The latest incident occurred shortly after midnight Sunday in the Pilsen neighborhood, when officers with the force’s Robbery Task Force ran onto a residential street after hearing multiple gunshots.
Upon arrival, police shot one armed assailant, who later died at the hospital, while two victims were found inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds near where officers heard the shots.
This came just over a day after an officer also fired shots at a vehicle wanted in connection with a homicide, at a time when Chicago police were stretched thin across the city to deal with the violence.
Hours after that officer-involved shooting, a 28-year-old man was fatally shot in the city’s Bronzeville neighborhood, when an unidentified gunman shot him as he walked on the sidewalk before speeding away.
Officers were seen at the scene of a daylight shooting in Chicago on Saturday afternoon, where they treated one of at least 11 shooting victims who were shot over the weekend: 3 fatally
Police officers stand on a residential street in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood Saturday night where a 28-year-old man was shot and killed.
On Sunday morning, a man was shot near the United Center arena, where the Democratic National Convention will be held, when another motorist fired at him as they collided with each other.
And just outside Chicago’s United Center arena, where Kamala Harris will officially accept the Democratic nomination for president, a man was left in critical condition after being shot on the event space Sunday morning.
This came after he was injured in an accident on the north side of the stadium, which caused the driver of the car he crashed into to fire several shots at his car.
The weekend of bloody violence was far from a turning point for Chicago, with 33 people shot over the previous weekend, police said.
Despite the city being besieged by crime, municipal authorities have authorized at least seven large demonstrations, which are expected to focus on the war between Israel and Hamas.
Hatem Abudayyeh, national chairman of the Palestinian Community Network of America, which is organizing the protests, said the group is still dissatisfied with Kamala Harris’ stance on the conflict.
“Harris represents the administration, he represents Biden,” he said. “We’re not going to do anything different. We’re going to mobilize.”
He added to the Washington Post“Our target is the Democratic Party and its leaders, and ‘Killer Kamala’ is one of them.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson insisted his city is ready to host the Democratic National Convention, but admitted: “Are there people who want to disrupt the beauty of Chicago? Of course there are.”
As anxiety mounts ahead of the convention, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who is scheduled to speak at the DNC, insisted his city will be able to handle the protests.
“There’s a reason Time Out magazine rated Chicago as the best city for conventions, because we’re good at it,” he said at a news conference Friday.
“Are there people who want to disrupt the beauty of Chicago? Of course there are.”
The city allowed the planned protests amid mounting pressure from First Amendment rights groups, and the FBI said it is “not aware of any specific, articulable threats related to the DNC.”