CHICAGO (Washington Insider Magazine) – After a 16-year-old boy was tragically killed near “The Bean” artwork in downtown Chicago’s Millennium Park, which is one of the city’s prominent tourist hotspots, city authorities announced a curfew prohibiting unaccompanied children to prevent crime.
The boy was shot in the chest near the enormous, mirrored structure around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, according to police. The teen’s identity was not immediately revealed by police.
He was transferred to Lurie Children’s Hospital and declared dead, according to authorities.
Juveniles will not be permitted in the park without an adult person after 6 p.m. Thursday to Sunday, according to officials. Officials have not stated how the restriction will be implemented.
After the incident, police claimed a 17-year-old was brought into custody and a firearm was discovered on him. Charges are being considered.
Another minor was held in conjunction with the killing, authorities said. He was reportedly equipped with a ghost weapon, which has no serial number and cannot be traced.
During the Saturday evening assembly in the park, 26 kids and 5 adults were detained. According to authorities, 8 firearms were seized and 5 gun arrests were recorded.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in the park early Saturday as part of countrywide protests against the Supreme Court’s newly revealed preliminary decision, which shows the court is set to remove the country’s right to abortion. It’s unknown if the adolescent who was killed was a participant in the 1 p.m. protest, but by late afternoon, the crowd had departed.
The incident comes amidst a recent uptick in violent crime in the city. According to numbers recently revised by the Chicago Police Department on May 8, Chicago has had 194 homicides and 779 shooting events this year, compared to 207 homicides and 898 shootings in that same period in 2021.
According to ABC NEWS, homicide numbers in Chicago as well as other U.S. cities increased dramatically last year. Chicago’s 797 homicides in 2021 — the city’s highest score in a quarter-century – surpassed the totals in the 2 largest U.S. cities, outnumbering New York by roughly 300 and Los Angeles by 400.
In downtown Chicago, the “Bean” sculpture is a famous tourist hotspot. It is officially known as “Cloud Gate,” but because of its bean-like shape, it became known as “The Bean.”
