Emanuel: Mob Participants Will Be "Brought to Justice"
By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 8, 2011 1:00PM
Chuck Sudo/Chicagoist
Mayor Emanuel tried to curb the fears of Streeterville residents and Mag Mile shoppers that the city was taking the recent spate of wildings and assaults by roaming bands of teen mobs in the area seriously. Emanuel made it clear that he was in contact with Acting Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy about the incidents and that, if there were more people involved than the five already arrested in connection with the Saturday assaults, they will be found.
Per the Sun-Times:
Told that cops on the beat in the downtown area are appealing for reinforcements, Emanuel said: “Garry McCarthy has already spoken to this. I talked to him over the weekend on it. And I again talked to him this morning about it. … I just added 500 officers who were doing other things. I put them on the street in key areas dealing with violent crime. We aren’t done as it relates to that.”
McCarthy added that extra cops have been added to trains to spot youths and stop them from congregating. With the increased media attention given to these mob actions, various reports of their size and actions are starting to be revealed. Whether these accounts are genuine or hyperbole, we don't know.
One Streeterville resident told the Sun-Times that a group of 20 youths spent Friday night outside her building pulling people out of cars and taxis, forcing the doormen of her building to lock the front doors. An unnamed policeman told the Sun-Times that over 500 youths flocked into the area from the West Side.
The arrest of three in connection with another mugging yesterday is only more fuel for the fire. McCarthy has tried to ensure residents that the Police Department's response has been effective.
"Our reaction to it has been quick. It’s been swift and it’s been very effective. Sometimes, that has to be the thing that we’re focusing on. I believe that every crime can be prevented. But guess what? When crimes aren’t prevented, we have to turn them around very, very quickly and prevent the next incident from occurring. That’s what we’ve been able to do," he said.