Police And Fire Are Holding An 'Active Shooter' Drill At Wrigley Field Right Now

By Gwendolyn Purdom in News on Jul 14, 2016 2:04PM

The day-to-day chaos that is Wrigleyville is likely looking even more chaotic than usual Thursday morning as the Chicago Police Department, Cubs staffers and the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications work through an emergency response drill at Wrigley Field and the surrounding area.

The "mock incident" will involve "simulated ammunition and flash bangs," according to an email alert authorities sent to neighborhood residents in advance of the drill, which started at 7 a.m.

Waveland Avenue, from Clifton to Kenmore avenues, will be closed to traffic and pedestrians while the exercise is happening through 2 p.m. Thursday, the email said. The drill, classified by Cubs personnel as practicing "emergency response to an active shooter incident" was planned before last week's high-profile mass shooting in Dallas, The Sun-Times reports, and is not in response to any particular incident.

Increased security measures, including bag searches and metal detectors, have been mandated this season for all Major League Baseball teams in an effort to ramp up and standardize safety. The White Sox implemented many of these measures last season, while Cubs fans first encountered enhanced screening on opening day this year.