What Prompted Widespread Rioting and Looting Across Chicago

Leah Barkoukis | August 10, 2020 7:08 AM

Rioting and looting rocked Chicago early Monday morning after a shootout between Chicago police and a young man in the Englewood area on the South Side of the city.

Officers were responding to a call of a man with a firearm and when police arrived and saw someone matching the description, the suspect fled, leading to a chase. He allegedly turned around and fired shots at the police officers who returned fire and hit the suspect.

A rumor was spread that police hit a child, the Chicago Tribune reports, and a crowd gathered to face off against police.

About an hour after the shootout, neighbors engaged in a standoff with officers that [Deputy Chief Yolanda] Talley described as “very hostile.”
“Emotions were running high. They were responding to misinformation,” Talley said.
Some members of the community had heard a “young person” had been shot, while others were responding to a report that a witness who videotaped the shooting had his phone taken by officers. She said those reports were inaccurate.
During the incident, one officer was maced and another suffered a shoulder injury, Talley said. The first officer was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and the other was treated at the scene. A brick was also lobbed through the window of a police vehicle, she said. (Chicago Sun Times)

Tensions carried on throughout the night and spread across the city, resulting in widespread rioting and looting.

Welcome to Chicago. It’s complete anarchy. pic.twitter.com/nuT59QmRHg
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 10, 2020

Looting continues in downtown Chicago as of 5:45am. These people are coming out of the Block 37 mall on Randolph west of State Street. Looting has been going on all over downtown and the Magnificent Mile since around midnight. Police are all over the place. @WBBMNewsradio pic.twitter.com/qrBwm8KCZX
— Bernie Tafoya (@BernieTafoya) August 10, 2020