Chicago police today confirmed final charges filed against ten juveniles following two hours of chaos in Wrigleyville on Wednesday evening.
“It’s been a problem all summer,” a Clark Street merchant said this morning. “They’re kids. The cops have told us they aren’t gonna touch them. We can’t touch them. What can we do?”
Police today announced the following arrests and charges:
• Three 15-year-old males charged with mob action
• One 13-year-old male charged with mob action
• One 14-year-old male charged with mob action
• One 14-year-old male charged with mob action and retail theft
• One 13-year-old male charged with mob action and retail theft
• One 16-year-old male charged with mob action and retail theft
• One 15-year-old male charged with mob action and assault
• One 16-year-old male charged with mob action and assault
All of the charges are misdemeanors. No further information is available about the individuals who were charged because they are juveniles.
Surveillance videos secured by CWBChicago show just a few minutes of the mob’s activity as they passed through the 3500 block of North Clark Street around 5:40 p.m.
The mayhem began around 4:20 p.m. when six teens shoved boxes of candy into backpacks and ran from Walgreens, 3646 North Broadway, according to police. The boys then began selling the candy in outside of Wrigley Field as Wednesday’s afternoon game wrapped up, according to witnesses and social media video.
But the spree took a serious turn one hour later when 911 callers reported that “10 to 15 children” were surrounding and battering people in the 3500 block of North Clark Street around 5:35 p.m., police said.
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| A CTA bus passenger watches cops wrangle teens on Wednesday. | Provided |
One man was beaten up outside the Cubby Bear, 1060 West Addison. Police on the scene summoned an ambulance for the victim who was bleeding from his ear. Another victim was attacked by the group near Irish Oak, 3511 North Clark Street.
Around the same time, the mob stole merchandise from a smoke shop in the 3400 block of North Clark Street, according to police.
Police said a 35-year-old man who dialed 911 while following the group was threatened with physical harm by the youths. He backed off when confronted, but pressed assault charges after the teens were in custody.
Commuters arriving on trains and buses at the Belmont station found themselves in a scene of general chaos shortly before 7 p.m. as a large group of cops wrangled the teens and eventually handcuffed the ruffians to each other. Witnesses and victims from the retail thefts and assaults were brought to the station to identify the horde.
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New: Videos show teen mob attacks in Wrigleyville; “It’s been a problem all summer”
