Chicago issues curfew for minors after violent weekend

[May 17, 2022] By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is imposing a 10 p.m. curfew on unaccompanied minors on weekends in the city in an effort to reduce violence. In Millennium Park, where a teenage boy was shot and killed on Saturday, the curfew will be 6 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.

An 11 p.m. curfew for unaccompanied minors has been in place for quite some time in the city, but the change makes it an hour earlier.

Lightfoot imposed the curfews following the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy Saturday night in Millennium Park near the tourist attraction known as The Bean. A 17-year-old has been charged in that shooting.

Also over the weekend, there were reports of a variety of disturbances leading to the arrest of at least 26 juveniles and five adults, according to media reports.

Chicago summers historically have been violent as the weather warms up. Lightfoot told reporters Monday that stopping violence in the city will be a joint effort between many different groups.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot
Chicago Mayors Office Facebook

"I am urging parents, guardians, and responsible adults to understand what the rules are and to follow them, so the city can be a safe place to be," Lightfoot said.

Lightfoot also called for help from parents of children who may be coming to the city and causing trouble.

"You need to know who your children are with, what they are doing, and where they are going," Lightfoot said. "We need to make sure our young people are safe."

The enforcement of the curfew will be a joint effort between the Chicago Public School system and the Chicago Police Department. The mayor said she hopes educating the city's young people can help slow the rate of violence.

"We need to fully explain these new policies to our students and our teachers, with rule number one being respect and decency and that starts in the homes with the parents," Lightfoot said.

The curfew goes into effect immediately after the mayor's executive order.

Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a reporter and pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a producer for the Windy City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University and Illinois Media School, Andrew lives in the south suburbs of Chicago.