Street takeovers block roads with people, vehicles on Chicago's South, West sides
Dozens of cars and hundreds of people blocked intersections as more street takeovers were held overnight, this time on the south and west sides.
CBS News Chicago learned from Chicago police that no incident report was filed in either.
Some videos on social media show weapons, a pickup truck doing donuts and a wheel flying into a crowd. Another showed people starting and then standing in a ring of fire.
Experts say they're surprised to hear CPD couldn't give us an incident report on these weekend street takeovers.
"Minimally it should be documented. When it occurred. The number of people, the vehicles, whatever information is provided by citizen should absolutely be documented," said retired CPD 1st Deputy Superintendent Anthony Riccio.
Videos posted on social media this weekend seemingly show the takeovers in Pilsen, Brighton Park and Lawndale. Though some videos ended with police breaking them up, information about arrests was unavailable.
"When there's no response to it, it's an invitation to repeat the behavior," said Arthur Lurigio, Loyola University Chicago Professor of Criminology and Psychology.
A different story in Los Angeles.
"What L.A. did was textbook," Riccio said. "They did have the resources ready. They knew that there were going to be these takeovers. They had the resources ready. They were able to deploy them on very short notice."
In Los Angeles, just one day prior, a similar situation with different results. LAPD boxed in a street takeover on the south side of the city, resulting in more than 500 citations and hundreds of impounds — getting a positive reaction from residents.
LAPD leaders say they used drones and other tactics to bust the event that drew an estimated 700 people, calling it Operation Street Sweeper. In the end, they made 69 arrests, issued 570 citations, and impounded 200 vehicles.
At least some Chicago takeovers happened at intersections without cameras, though the one in Pilsen could have been caught on camera.
"These high-definition cameras can zoom in. They can see who the drivers are. They can see who is hanging out of the cars. They can pick up the license plates of these vehicles. So a lot of them they are very strategic and where they go and what intersections they take over," Riccio said.
Lurigio says it's still unclear what kind of effect the enforcement in L.A. will have on their street takeovers there, if any. He says that it will just take time to find out.
Pilsen Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward) oversees the area at 18th & Canal, where the street was set on fire. He says he has reached out to the CPD commander about the street takeover and is also waiting to hear back.
