Downtown crowds prompt police response; 2 teen boys wounded in shooting

Two teenagers were shot Saturday night as hundreds of people gathered downtown.

The boys, 16 and 17, were in the crowd about 9 p.m. in the 100 block of East Washington Street when shots were fired, Chicago police said.

The younger boy was shot in the right arm, while the other boy was shot in the left leg, police said.

Both were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where they were listed in fair condition, according to police. They declined to provide any more information about the crowd and whether there were any other injuries reported.

Several videos flooded social media showing teenagers breaking into vehicles and setting them on fire.

One video showed teens climbing and jumping on the roof of a CTA bus.

Activists concerned about the safety of their communities gathered Sunday to ask Chicago Police to increase patrols downtown.

“Downtown used to be a beautiful place, you used to want to take a walk downtown, but now it’s so scary,” activist and U.S. Postal Service worker Patrick Gibbons said. “It needs to get better otherwise people will leave Chicago.”

On Friday, a 14-year-old boy was wounded in a shooting after another large group of teenagers gathered at 31st Street Beach. It happened about 8:50 p.m., in the 3100 block of South Lake Shore Drive, according to police. The boy suffered a gunshot wound to his left thigh and was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in fair condition.

According to police, a 17-year-old boy who was at the beach was arrested and charged with four felony counts including unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a stolen gun and possession of drug paraphernalia