Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) of Chicago has declared a 10 pm. Following the tragic shooting of a youngster in the city's famed central park, unaccompanied children would be subject to weekend curfews.
In Millenium Park, where the deadly shooting occurred, the mayor had already enforced a curfew. Minors at the park after 6 pm will be prohibited starting this weekend. From Thursday to Sunday, you must be accompanied by an adult.
Chicago Has New Curfew Rules For Minors
Lightfoot also mentioned that Chicago has had an 11 pm. curfew for a long time. The Tribune stated that she merely increased the curfew for kids to 10 pm, claiming that the city must stop this pipeline of young people to the tomb.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois has opposed the Millennium Park limitations, claiming that curfews and prohibitions are neither surgical nor restricted. The ban comes after the shooting death of a 16-year-old teenager near the Bean.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed the Murdered Children Funeral and Burial Assistance Act into law only days before the 16-year-shooting old's murder, which pays up to $10,000 in funeral costs for families that lose a child to gun violence. In July 2023, the law will go into force.
It comes after University of Michigan researchers analyzed CDC data and determined that firearms were the leading cause of mortality among children and adolescents in 2020, with over 4,300 children aged 1 to 19 dying from a variety of firearm-related causes, according to The Hill.
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ACLU, Aldermen Doubt Mayor Lori Lightfoot's Curfew
However, some are challenging the legitimacy of these actions, while others are concerned about the impact of adding more cops to the Loop on neighboring areas. The park prohibition is a lawful time, place, and manner limitation, according to Lightfoot. There is a Supreme Court precedent. The shift in curfew is less obvious.
Several aldermen, who agree that something has to be done, insist that the curfew ordinance can only be changed by the City Council. They believe the mayor's actions may expose the city to legal action. Many people feel Mayor Lightfoot should accept Gov. JB Pritzker's offer to send Illinois State Police troopers to aid, CBS News reported.
Lightfoot expressed her concern after learning that preteens as young as 10 and 11 years old were traveling downtown alone at night. The mayor acknowledged that youth require safe spaces and suggested that they check out mychimyfuture.org.
The police department's goal for now, according to Superintendent David Brown, is to make Millennium Park secure, although he allowed that other downtown places may be used. He claims that big numbers of young people are pulled downtown on weekends not by happenstance, but rather as a consequence of concerted attempts to get them there that began on social media.
Two additional young individuals were shot along State Street and Jackson Boulevard a few hours after the Millennium Park massacre. Mayor Lightfoot also asked the Chicago Police Department to speed up gun trace investigations for weapons found in the hands of juveniles on Monday.
This new ordinance will be severely enforced, according to the city, and violators will be dealt with immediately. In connection with the incident on Saturday, 26 juveniles and four adults were detained. Seven firearms were discovered.
As per CBS58, Vondale Singleton founded the anti-violence organization Champs Male Mentoring, which included the young victim. Holliday was a freshman at Gary Comer High School. He was brilliant and had a promising career ahead of him. He stated that one of his objectives was to reach the age of 21. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the curfew might result in unwarranted stops and arrests.
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