1 dead, 20 shot during Juneteenth celebration in Chicago suburb: 'It was chaos'



One person is dead and at least 20 people were shot during a Juneteenth celebration in a Chicago suburb, according to authorities.

The mass shooting occurred at a strip mall hosting a large Juneteenth party in Willowbrook, Illinois.

Battalion Chief Joe Ostrander with the Tri-State Fire Protection District said around 12:30 a.m., gunfire rang out at a strip mall on Route 83 near Honeysuckle Rose Lane, about 20 miles southwest of Chicago.

There were reportedly "at least 200 teens and young adults" gathered in a parking lot for a Juneteenth celebration when as many as 30 shots were fired.

Witness Markeshia Avery told WLS-TV, "It was supposed to be like a Juneteenth celebration. We just started hearing shooting, so we dropped down until they stopped."

"We were all just out, and, next thing you know shots just kept going off; everybody ran, and it was chaos," witness Craig Lotcie said.

Witness Zaviar Sheikh added, "We just heard gunshots; at first it was one, but then it was a whole bunch of gunshots. After then we started running like, 'yo.' I looked at my friend, and we took off, running like crazy."

Eric Swanson, deputy chief at the DuPage County sheriff's office, explained, "There were at least 20 individuals shot. One victim is deceased. The motive behind this incident is unclear. ... We transported numerous victims from the scene. Others just walked into area hospitals."

Two of the people who were shot are in critical condition, while others suffered "graze wounds," fire department officials told WBBM-TV.

Police did not reveal a motive for the shooting.

Police were still at the crime scene as of Sunday morning conducting the investigation into the deadly shooting.

The DuPage County Sheriff's Office asked that anyone with information call 630-407-2400.

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At least 20 shot, 1 fatally, in Willowbrook, officials say www.youtube.com

Video: Chicago beach closed within hours after opening when gunshots erupt; Gov. Pritzker deploys 'peacekeepers' in anticipation of Memorial Day weekend violence



The city of Chicago opened all 22 area beaches on Friday morning. However, one of the busiest beaches was closed only hours after opening because gunshots rang out.

Chicago's North Avenue Beach opened at 11 a.m. on Friday. Police responded to several shots fired around 1:26 p.m. in the 1600 block of North Lake Shore Drive at the North Avenue Beach.

Video shows two groups of teens angrily confronting each other before gunshots erupt. There were approximately 100 people in the area when the shooting occurred. Video shows the windows of a Chicago Park District truck shot out.

WLS-TV reported, "The nearby Latin school said in an email to parents that students were gathered for is annual Olympics Day game when the police SUV sped through the park. No kids were injured, but the incident was alarming."

\u201cFollowing the shots fired, police found a group of gang members and proceeded to chase them through the south end of Lincoln Park.\n\nTwo guns were recovered as children played in the park.\n\nVideo was originally tweeted by @samjcharles\n\n#Chicago\u201d
— 16th & 17th District Chicago Police Scanner (@16th & 17th District Chicago Police Scanner) 1685138876

The Chicago Police Department said there were no injuries reported. Police did note that several people were taken to the hospital to be treated for intoxication.

The North Avenue Beach was immediately closed, as was the nearby bike path.

WBBM-TV reported, "Police said a group of young men got into a fight on the beach when someone pulled out a gun and started shooting."

Police arrested a 15-year-old boy, who they claim was the shooter. The suspect was charged with one count of aggravated assault discharge of firearm, and one count of criminal damage to property worth $500 to $10,000, both felonies.

Police did not find the gun used in the shooting.

"The person who fired the weapon was observed," said Interim CPD Supt. Fred Waller. "He was taken into custody after a very, very short foot pursuit. Another subject in the same area was also observed running away with a weapon and he was taken into custody. Two weapons were recovered from him."

The shooting happened less than 24 hours after newly-elected Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, unveiled a plan to attempt to combat violence during the Memorial Day weekend.

"In preparing for Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer in Chicago, it is critical that we have as many stakeholders as possible at the table to ensure peace and safety on our city's streets," Johnson said.

In anticipation of Memorial Day weekend violence, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced the deployment of 30 "peacekeepers."

The initiative called the Citywide Crisis Prevention and Response Unit (CPRU) will send peacekeepers into Chicago streets to "provide essential assistance in de-escalation, conflict resolution, and crisis support across Chicago."

The Illinois Department of Human Services said of the Citywide Crisis Prevention and Response Unit: "The Office of Firearm Violence Prevention is working to aggressively implement strategies that advance public safety. The peacekeepers serve as first responders in their communities. FLIP has a track record of success and the State is doing its part to ensure these individuals are properly resourced."

The city is reportedly funding the peacekeepers with funds that were originally dedicated to the pandemic.

Despite having strict gun laws, Chicago has a reputation for widespread gun violence during Memorial Day weekend.

In 2020, there were 49 people shot and 10 were killed despite there being a stay-at-home order in place at the time.

There were 37 shot and three killed in 2021.

Last year, 51 people were shot and nine killed in Chicago.

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After shooting at Chicago beach, a beefed up police, community presence www.youtube.com

Liberal cities DESTROYED by WOKE policies



Walmart recently announced the closure of four Chicago stores that became effective on April 16. Why?

Because people in those areas have been stealing an alarming amount of stuff off the shelves. However, some don’t see it that way.

One shopper has implied that the closures are perhaps due to Walmart not wanting to “serve black and brown communities because of racism,” while outgoing Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has alleged that it’s because of “retailers that won’t institute plans like having security officers in their stores” and “making sure that they’ve got cameras that are actually operational.”

Lauren Chen of "Pseudo-Intellectual" has a different opinion.

She says, “It’s not racism that’s causing Walmart to close, and it’s not Walmart’s lack of security either that’s at fault here. It is squarely the fault of the politicians who’ve essentially made it impossible for stores to thrive because they refuse to punish criminals.”

She adds that it “seems like every other day social media is flooded with videos of people in some big Democrat city,” looting their local Walmarts or Targets as if they’re “an all-you-can-steal buffet.”

Large retailers like Walmart depend on a high volume of goods being sold because their margins are so low — which leaves them uniquely vulnerable to theft.

Chen hammers home her point: that it’s not directly the fault of the people or the retailer, but of the politicians and community leaders who refuse to prosecute criminals.

Chen says that the “neighborhoods in Chicago are essentially lawless hellholes, where people steal whatever they want — absolutely no fear for repercussions — and instead of trying to address this issue of crime, these community leaders in Chicago instead are just mad at Walmart.”


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Teens attack woman in Chicago: The new Gotham City



Over the weekend, a mob of black youths took to the streets in Chicago to terrorize the residents of the city.

The youths called it a “teen takeover,” and a group of them were caught on video swarming and then beating a young white woman for no apparent reason.

Keith Malinak of "Pat Gray Unleashed" says it's the “third world-ification of America,” and it's happening right before our eyes.

He compares it to "Grand Theft Auto," saying that it’s “literally all that these big cities are anymore.”

Despite the video evidence depicting clear footage of the attack, no arrests have been made.

Malinak points out that the mayor-elect, Brandon Johnson, or as he calls him, “the guy in Chicago replacing Beetlejuice,” had a less than appropriate response.

Johnson’s response went as follows: “It is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their communities. Our city must work together to create spaces for youth to gather safely and responsibly ... under adult guidance and supervision to ensure that every part of our city remains welcome for both residents and visitors.”

“Chicago, you’re screwed, and you’re not coming back,” Malinak responds.

Gray adds his two cents.

“People are sick and tired of crime, and they’re sick and tired of Democrats not doing anything about it — in fact doing the opposite. And that’s letting criminals get back on the street and commit crime again.”


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Mayor Lightfoot announces new plan to fight Chicago crime: Sue street gangs



Chicago, which famously has a long history of violent crime, is currently suffering under a spate of shootings and killings. And Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been unable to get the city's violent crime under control.

Some might blame her policies that hamper police efforts, like her move to require cops to get permission to chase suspects on foot.

Others might focus on her penchant to blame guns and not criminals for shootings, as she did in the killing of Officer Ella French.

But now the mayor is pushing a new idea to stop violent crime in the Windy City: suing street gangs.

What's her plan?

Lightfoot announced her new plan Tuesday, which will let the city file lawsuits against street gangs and snag their money and assets, WBBM-TV reported.

"We will hold you accountable," Lightfoot declared while touting the measure that would allow judges to "order the forfeiture or money or property that is directly or indirectly related to street gang activity," the outlet said.

"To be very blunt and clear, we are going after their blood money — the money they have profited off killing," Lightfoot said.

This, of course, assumes the city can identify and successfully prosecute members of the often-loosely affiliated gangs, many of whom are minors or go by street names and not their given names.

So, will the plan actually work? WBBM looked into it — and it's not promising.

Though these kinds of lawsuits have been used with some success at the federal level, experts told WBBM that such suits in Chicago would likely be useless.

Former federal prosecutor Eric Sussman told the station, "In federal court, you're dealing with organized street gangs — in many cases involving individuals that are in their 30s, sometimes even in their 40s — that are moving large amounts of drugs."

But things on Chicago's streets are different, according to Sussman. Chi-town gangs, of which there are about 100, are not nearly as tightly affiliated and largely made of up minors.

"In state court, most of these 15- and 16-year-olds they can't even identify aren't even subject to adult criminal prosecution," Sussman said.

Attorney John Mauck — who represented four people sued in Kane County, Illinois, for gang activities but had the case dropped because authorities could not prove they were actually members of the gang — said these types of lawsuit won't help Chicago.

"Most of the lawsuits were ended by default judgments," he told WBBM, referring to a number of suits in Kane County. "Either they didn't serve the individuals, or the individuals didn't bother to come to court."

However, the chief of police in Elgin, Illinois, which is in Kane County, told WBBM that the city had three successful gang lawsuits from 2010 to 2016.

"The department noted a significant reduction in street gang activity during this time," Chief Ana Lalley claimed to the outlet.

But Sussman and Mauck see it as a political move by Lightfoot and not anything substantive.

"They'll sue a bunch of gang members and get some judgments and say, 'Look what we've done,' but it won't accomplish anything," Mauck said. "It's for show."

Sussman said, "I think this is clearly a political move and a response to the fact that the city has been unable to articulate a policy to prevent the shootings and the killings that are going on in the city."

Chicago: 58 shot during bloody holiday weekend, including 8 children; 4-year-old boy killed by stray bullets



At least 58 people have been shot in Chicago during Labor Day weekend, including eight children, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Five people have been killed in shootings since Friday evening, including a 4-year-old boy who was shot in the head.

Around 9 p.m. on Friday, stray bullets sprayed through the window of a home in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago. Two bullets struck 4-year-old Mychal Moultry Jr. in the head. He was getting a haircut at the time, according to Rahman Muhammad, deputy chief of the Chicago Police Department's Detective Division. The boy's father held him until paramedics arrived to take him to the Comer Children's hospital.

"It's hard enough with this mom and dad sitting in the hospital watching this little fella with tubes all down his body. He is trying to breathe," community activist Andrew Holmes told WLS-TV about the boy when he was in the hospital.

The 4-year-old boy, who was visiting Chicago from Alabama, was pronounced dead on Sunday.

The Chicago Police Department is asking the public for help in the case to find those who committed the crime. Those with information can submit a tip on the Chicago Police Department website.

The Saint Sabina Catholic Church and the All Kids Matter organization are offering up to a $9,000 reward to bring the shooter or shooters to justice.

"We're sick and tired every day," an activist with All Kids Matter said. "We're staking this hospital out night after night. All these children get shot throughout Chicago."

4-year-old boy dies after shooting inside Woodlawn home www.youtube.com

There were eight children shot during the bloody weekend in Chicago, including six kids shot in 12 hours from Saturday night into Sunday morning. Two of the wounded minors were recovering at Comer Children's hospital as of Sunday morning.

So far this year, more than 280 children have been shot in Chicago, 35 of whom have died from their injuries, WLS-TV reported.

Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown gave an explanation why children are often the victims during a press conference on Monday.

"It's always some other offender, gang member, criminal network, some beef, and they're targeting some adult, and young people are nearby and they are shot as innocent bystanders," Brown said.

Supt. Brown said the department seized 64 illegally possessed guns over the weekend.

Last weekend, at least 48 people were shot in Chicago, including six who were killed.

For the month of August, there were 78 homicides in Chicago, which is 14 more than August 2020. There have been 534 homicides in the city, according to data provided by the Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago had a total of 775 murders in 2020.

There were 372 shootings in August 2021, down slightly from 372 last year, according to Fox News.

Chicago father driving daughter to school killed while shielding her from gunfire; family searching for answers



A family is distraught and searching for answers after a father was shot to death while driving his 7-year-old daughter to school.

Travell Miller, 33, was taking his daughter Norielle to school around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday when he was gunned down in the middle of traffic. While the father and daughter were sitting in their car in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood, they were reportedly ambushed by the gunman.

Miller was on the phone with his mother, Aquantas Gilmore, at the exact moment when he was shot to death.

"We were just having our normal conversations and then in the midst of the conversation I can tell he was startled because he was just like, 'what the,' and then that's when I heard everything," Gilmore told WMAQ-TV.

"He was simply driving his daughter to school. He was talking to his mother [on the phone] as this guy runs up on the car," Miller's father, Joseph Gilmore, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

"His mother hears her son say, 'Dang man, what the f***' She hears commotion and then hears him say, 'Mama, Mama, I've been shot,'" Gilmore said.

The 7-year-old girl cried, and pleaded for her father to stay with her, family members said.

While shielding his daughter from the gunfire, Travell was shot four times. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The shooter fled the crime scene, and has yet to be apprehended.

The medical examiner told the family that the location of Miller's gunshot wounds prove he bent over to save his daughter's life.

"She's traumatized," Gilmore said of the girl. "She's devastated that she watched her father get killed."

Miller was a single father of two girls.

Miller's twin brother, Lavell Miller, said he wasn't involved in any gang activities.

"He wasn't part of any gang life, criminal life," the brother said. "He wasn't a troubled man, didn't have any enemies. He was a brother, a father, a son. He was a partner."

"It sucks that bad things happen to good people," he said. "This is truly one of those situations."

"He was a great man, a great father, a warm loving son," his father, Joseph Gilmore, said. "I want people to know who my son is."

A GoFundMe campaign was launched to help pay for Miller's funeral.

"I want the person found," Aquantas Gilmore cried of her son's killer. "I don't want them to continue to walk the streets and be free and my child can't walk the streets and be free, ever."

"He'll have to pay for what he did one way or another," Gilmore added.

The Chicago Police Department released photos of the suspected shooter. He is believed to be between 18-20 years old, between 5'8-5'10, and has a slender build. He was driving a two-door silver Pontiac Grand Prix.

Chicago Police have asked for the public's assistance in identifying the shooter. Police have asked anyone with information on the murder to call detectives or submit a tip anonymously to cpdtip.com.

Image source: Chicago Police Department

Chicago mass shooting leaves 7 wounded, including 1-month-old baby girl who was shot in the head



A 1-month-old baby girl was shot in the head during another mass shooting in Chicago. At least seven people were wounded in the shooting, which happened Thursday night in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.

Three gunmen jumped out of a black Jeep Cherokee around 8:15 p.m. Thursday. The armed assailants "began shooting in several directions" in the 6500 block of South Halsted Street, according to Chicago police. The gunmen got back in the SUV and fled the crime scene.

A bullet struck a 1-month-old baby girl in the head, and she was rushed to St. Bernard Hospital, where she was listed in critical condition. She was later transferred to the Comer Children's Hospital, a Chicago Fire Department spokesperson told the Chicago Times.

The baby's uncle, Charles McKenzie, said the child is "doing pretty good." The baby underwent surgery and was now able to breathe on her own. McKenzie said the bullet did not pierce her skull, but the car seat that she was sitting in had several bullet holes in it.

McKenzie, who is a violence prevention activist, said he was in disbelief when he got the phone call that someone in his family was a victim in the mass shooting.

"They said your niece was shot, I'm like my niece? I couldn't believe it," McKenzie said.

"It's hurtful, it's painful," he continued. "To know that I'm out here serving and protecting the community and fighting against gun violence every day and it ends up my people that's afflicted from this gun violence."

A nearby store manager said the baby's family are "just regular everyday people" who were "hanging out near their car parked outside" when the gunfire erupted.

The manager said that the baby's father, who he described as a "good guy," was among the seven people shot.

"All he's trying to do is take care of his family," the store manager said. "He doesn't do anything stupid or anything like that. Unfortunately these guys came out of nowhere."

"This area has been like this forever," the manager said of violent crime. "This is like an ongoing thing that's been going on for years."

Another victim of the mass shooting is a 15 year old. Five of the shooting victims were transported to hospitals, and are said to be in good condition. Another person suffered a graze wound, but declined to go to the hospital.

The baby being shot occurred less than six hours after a 9-year-old girl was shot in the head while sitting in a car on the city's South Side. The girl was taken to the hospital, where she is in critical condition, according to police. The suspects fled in a white SUV, and no arrests have been made.

There were four people killed and 28 wounded in Chicago shootings on Thursday, WMAQ-TV reported.

Last week, a terrifying dashcam video caught the moment brash gunmen opened fire at a busy traffic light in Chicago. Chicago is experiencing alarming rates of violent crime this year. As of June 27, there have been 1,489 shooting incidents this year in Chicago – a 12% increase from 1,333 shootings over the same time period last year, according to police department data.

Violent crimes continue to soar despite police making a concerted effort to confiscate illegal guns. Police seized 5,901 guns, including 290 assault weapons, so far this year – a 26% increase from the number of guns confiscated at the same time last year, David Brown, superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, said at a news conference Thursday.

"There's a lot of work to be done," Brown said. "When crime happens, which is likely late evening into the early morning ... is when our schedules are being adjusted. Because we are sworn to protect the people of Chicago. But we have also acknowledged 12-hour shifts and canceled days off are impacting our officers. ... and we have implemented an officer wellness plan as a part of this."

VIDEO: Chicago gang drags couple from car and shoots them at point-blank range in front of their baby



A violent gang dragged a Chicago-area couple out of their car on Saturday night and shot them both.

The male victim died from his injuries, and the female victim is reportedly in critical condition at an area hospital.

The incident took place in Chicago's Humboldt Park as the family was reportedly leaving the city's 43rd annual Puerto Rican People's Day Parade.

What are the details?

Video footage captured the moment the gang swarmed the couple's vehicle.

According to WBBM-TV, the incident unfolded as the two adults and child were leaving the parade festivities and heading westbound.

"Shots rang out, people scattered, and then a man pulled out a gun and shot two people outside the sport-utility vehicle," the station reported. "The video showed him firing the rapid shots and then running away."

The male victim — identified as 24-year-old Gyovanny Arzuaga — reportedly sustained gunshot wounds to the back and hand, along with a graze wound to the head, before succumbing to his injuries. He was reportedly shot at point-blank range.

The station identified the female victim — who sustained gunshots to the neck — as Yasmin Perez. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she remains in critical condition.

All suspects fled the scene, and no one has been taken into custody in connection to the murders.

The child, whose age remains unknown at the time of this reporting, was taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution.

A GoFundMe page to benefit the family has received more than $12,000 in donations at the time of this reporting.

The page reads:

On June 19th, 2021, Gyovanny Arzuaga and Yasmin Perez were celebrating at the Puerto Rican Day Parade in Humboldt Park when they were both tragically shot. Gyo unfortunately passed away after arriving to the hospital and Yasmin is in critical condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the neck. Please keep them, their children, and their families in your thoughts and prayers during this time. This fundraiser is to cover funeral service costs for Gyo's family and medical bills for Yasmin's family.

(Content warning: Graphic video):

Humboldt Park #Chicago last night. A Latino couple displaying a Puerto Rican flag on their car was pulled out of th… https://t.co/ddNIOv9dWO

— Lourdes Ubieta (@lourdesubieta) 1624227610.0

What else?

Over the weekend, WGN-TV reported that community activist Donovan Price said that it was a "miracle" that the bullets didn't hit the baby.

"The child is going to be traumatized," Price added.

On Monday, CWBChicago shared what is believed to be the last photo of the male victim — who it also identified as Gyovanny Arzuaga — and the child.

"You may have seen the horrifying video of a man and woman being dragged from their car and shot yesterday evening," the user wrote. "Man died, woman critically injured. This is the last photo the man, Gyovanny Arzuaga, posted to Facebook yesterday afternoon. He was 24."

You may have seen the horrifying video of a man and woman being dragged from their car and shot yesterday evening.… https://t.co/f8rpjaeINb

— CWBChicago (@CWBChicago) 1624220585.0

Sheriff's office releases bodycam video of deputy shooting allegedly armed man running from traffic stop in Chicago



A police officer shot an allegedly armed man who fled a traffic stop Wednesday in Chicago. On Thursday, the Cook County Sheriff's Office released bodycam footage of the incident after the man's family disputed that he had a gun.

Cook County Sheriff's deputies pulled over a driver for speeding in Chicago's LeClaire Courts neighborhood at 7:20 p.m. Wednesday. The vehicle is said to be missing a front license plate and had illegally tinted windows, as reported in the Chicago Sun-Times.

The driver stopped, opened his door, but refused to exit the vehicle. He then allegedly drove off and turned down an alley. He abandoned his car and fled on foot. The Cook County Sheriff's Office alleges that the man had something in his hand, and dropped a black cellphone while fleeing police.

The man, identified as Durel Foster, reportedly ignored deputies' commands to stop. Bodycam footage appears to show Foster, 27, brandishing a handgun as defies orders and runs past cops.

After Foster runs past one of the police officers with what looks like a firearm, the cop fires four shots at the man. Foster was hit by two shots, one struck him in the shoulder and the other in the buttocks. Foster falls to the ground, sits back up, then flails back down.

Deputies claim that Foster resisted arrest after being shot, and ran to a nearby porch. Foster was eventually taken into custody after a police officer used a Taser on him.

He was handcuffed, arrested, and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he is said to be in good condition. The Cook County Sheriff's Office claims a handgun and bags of suspected cocaine were found near Foster.

Foster's father, Maurice Foster, said, "Police stopped him because of the way he looked."

"He's a young Black man, he had nice jewelry on, nice clothes," Maurice Foster said. "They didn't even tell me when they put him in the ambulance, he was already shot twice and tased, he had the handcuffs on ... and they put him in the ambulance for 10 minutes."

The father denied that his son was armed and disputes that he had a gun during the incident.

"I can't see real good from the footage," he told the Chicago Sun-Times. "I can't see what's in his hand. I see him toss a bag. It goes by real fast, and it's blurry also."

The father said he hasn't been able to speak with his son since the arrest. He added that his son is "an excellent basketball player, he's smart, he's intelligent, he's respectful, and he's good to his family."

Cook County Sheriff's Office said the suspect had three prior felony convictions, including aggravated battery on a police officer in 2018, according to the New York Post. He was sentenced to four years in prison and had been on parole in Illinois at the time of Wednesday's arrest.

Chicago police are conducting an independent investigation into the shooting.

Cook County Sheriff's Police Release Body Cam Video After Officer Shoots Man www.youtube.com