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‘Teen trends’ rampage: Hundreds of youngsters wreak havoc on downtown Chicago leaving cops overwhelmed

A 16-year-old boy was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, while an adult and a juvenile were charged with possession of a stolen vehicle

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Hundreds of unruly teenagers went berserk on Saturday night, April 15, at Millennium Park, as dozens smashed cars, blocked traffic, attacked bystanders, and fought in the streets. Videos showed large groups of people in the area jumping on top of a bus while others started a massive brawl while blaring music in a 'teen trend’.

According to Daily Mail, the incident left two teen boys, 16 and 17, wounded by gunfire. They were moved to a nearby hospital in fair condition, states the outlet. A total of 15 people, including nine adults and six teens, were arrested. Among them was a 16-year-old boy charged with unlawful use of a weapon, while an adult and a juvenile were charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. Additionally, a Tesla worth $120K was left vandalized. The violence came a day after a 14-year-old boy was shot during another outburst of teen violence at 31st Avenue Beach, tagged as a "teen trend" meetup.

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What is 'teen trend' rampage?

A 'teen trend' is a large teen-led gathering that is particularly popular among Black teens, states NPR. A teenager explained back in 2019 why 'teen trends' get such huge responses as there's nothing to do in their neighborhoods. "There is usually vandalism over the swings, over the slides, there is usually broken material ... there is trash and there is a lot of people soliciting. It just doesn't look like the place where you would send your kids and say OK, 'You could chill here'," she described the local community centers and parks. In 2019, reports of such gatherings started emerging of teens heading downtown to visit Millennium Park and Water Tower Place. In 2018, a similar incident happened that led to 31 being arrested, most charged with disorderly conduct.

'Where are the parents?'

Following the recent incident, many were quick to condemn the act. One Twitter user wrote, "Just disgusting. Terrible. Unbelievably bad." Another wrote, "Send some mental health professionals!" While one of many said, "Chicago has great potential of becoming a failed state."

On the other hand, one asked, "Question: the only way for a crowd to organize and be this big is to put it out on social media - you mean to tell me the Chicago police aren’t watching social media for these types of posts?" And some questioned the parents with one saying, "It takes a village and the village couldn’t care less. Where are the parents?" An individual also pointed out, "I know this might trigger some folks and people in the media, but 99% of the people in these videos are black. And hopefully, 'political' 'leaders', and others will try to get some answers why?"

Mayor Lori Lightfoot's statement

Talking about the rampage, in a statement, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said while many of the young people gathered to have a good time and enjoy the weather, some were involved in "reckless, disrespectful and unlawful behavior." The mayor further added, "As I have said before, we as a city cannot and will not allow any of our public spaces to become a platform for criminal conduct. Most importantly, parents and guardians must know where their children are and be responsible for their actions. Instilling the important values of respect for people and property must begin at home." She also stated, "We have invested millions of dollars to support community-based organizations to partner with youth to co-activate fun, safe spaces all over the City throughout the year. We ask parents to partner with us by making sure that your children's plans are safe and that they know when to exit a situation before it becomes unsafe.”

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