Chicago, Illinois – Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) is proposing a curfew for unaccompanied minors in downtown Chicago following a violent attack on a couple by a group of teenagers. The incident occurred on Friday night in Streeterville, near Grand Avenue and McClurg Court, where the couple was surrounded and assaulted by the teens around 9 p.m.
According to the Chicago police, a 40-year-old man was repeatedly struck in the head by a 14-year-old boy, while a 17-year-old girl pulled out the woman’s hair. The attack was described as not being a robbery, with the woman revealing that she was pepper-sprayed and kicked in the stomach. Tragically, she later discovered that she had lost a pregnancy as a result of the assault.
Both teenagers involved in the attack were arrested and charged with battery as a misdemeanor offense. Hopkins deemed these charges as “entirely inappropriate” and urged the Cook County state’s attorney’s office to elevate them to felony charges due to the severity of the teenagers’ actions.
In response to the incident, Hopkins is advocating for an 8 p.m. curfew to be enforced in the Central Business District and downtown area to prevent minors from being out without adult supervision. He emphasized the need to address the violent and disruptive behavior of a few individuals that have been causing chaos, stating that such activities cannot be tolerated.
If the curfew is approved, law enforcement would have the authority to issue citations to minors found in violation of the curfew. In anticipation of the potential curfew implementation, around 50 police officers were stationed outside the AMC River East theater in Streeterville on Wednesday night, where individuals under 18 were prohibited from entering without proper identification.
Hopkins’ proposed curfew aims to ensure the safety of both residents and visitors in downtown Chicago by deterring unsupervised minors from engaging in harmful or criminal behavior. The incident involving the couple serves as a stark reminder of the importance of addressing youth violence and implementing measures to protect the community from such incidents.