May 20, 2022

Statement from Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot

Mayor's Press Office    312.744.3334

"An outrageous act of violence was committed last night in the area of Chicago and State. I have been in frequent contact throughout the early morning hours with Superintendent Brown and his team, as well as President Carter of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), and I will continue to monitor developments throughout the day. 

 

Area residents, commuters, and others simply must have the peace of mind that this highly trafficked area is safe, and it is time for more specific, concrete steps to be taken to address this area once and for all.  

 

First, I have asked Superintendent Brown to install a fixed post of uniformed officers at the intersection of State and Chicago and a separate fixed post in the Red Line station in the same area.  

 

Second, I have also engaged the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection to determine what if any additional measures need to be taken to address long-standing concerns along that block. That work has already begun. 

 

Lastly, I have asked the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and CTA to continue to work together to have our CPD Public Transportation Section with visible patrols of stations, platforms, and trains 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

 

Most importantly, it is simply awful, and unacceptable that once again, another tragedy occurs because firearms are in the hands of people who simply do not care about themselves or the value of another's life.  Our police department is hard at work to make sure those responsible for last night's incident are held accountable, for the safety and well-being of us all.”

 

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