30-Dec-18 – At least four people were injured – and CTA Red Line traffic snarled – as large groups of teens and young adults brought havoc to the Magnificent Mile on Saturday evening. One arrest was made.

“Water Tower Place will be closing at 8 p.m. tonight due to mob action by large crowds of juveniles,” tweeted 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins at 7:47 p.m.

The latest Mag Mile mob scene began around 5:00 p.m. when a victim reported being battered near the CTA Red Line station at State & Chicago. A man was arrested in connection with that attack.

At the same time, employees of a nearby McDonald’s reported 50 teenagers fighting inside the restaurant at 10 East Chicago Avenue. After being pushed from the restaurant, the group headed three blocks east to Water Tower Place, where a disturbance was reported on the second floor at 5:45 p.m. Police estimated the crowd to be 50-to-60 strong.

Police moved the teens out of the mall and followed the group as it headed east toward Lake Michigan and then back to Water Tower Place, sparking widespread reports of assaults and fighting.

By 6:30 p.m., the mob began making its way back to the Red Line station at State & Chicago. The H&M clothing store reported being struck by many shoplifters and the McDonald’s again reported being overrun by the mob.

Once on the Red Line platform, members of the group began beating people apparently at random. Three people filed police reports for battery and an ambulance was summoned to treat the victims.

A 28-year-old Chicago man, waiting for a train at State & Chicago, was reportedly beaten by a group of teenagers at around 7:30 p.m. He suffered injuries to his hand, lip, and eye, and his eyeglasses were broken, according to Chicago Sun-Times. No one was arrested in connection with the attack. Southbound Red Line trains were delayed as the crowd made its way out of the area. One train conductor told CTA dispatchers passengers were rocking the cars from side to side and the conductor did not feel safe moving the train. (Left) Frame from video by Vashon Jordan Jr. from the CTA Red Line on Saturday evening.

Saturday’s incident was the latest in a string of similar mob actions along the Magnificent Mile and inside Water Tower Place. Other cases were reported in early May, on Memorial Day weekend, and on Thanksgiving weekend.