An after-prom party, labeled as a “teen takeover,” turned violent as a total of five police officers in Chicago, Illinois, were hit by a single car. Fortunately, all cops are expected to survive, and the teen allegedly behind the act was arrested.
As reported by WLS, the incident occurred at around 3:20 a.m. on Sunday, March 24, on South Loomis Street. At the time, Chicago Police Department officers were working crowd control, as a post-prom teen takeover was taking place.
Suddenly, a blue vehicle heading westbound struck five of the officers present in the area, police said. The vehicle had allegedly driven over the curb and crashed into a pole and a fence after striking the Chicago cops.
All officers were transported to nearby hospitals, having suffered injuries that appear to be non-life-threatening, with three of them remaining hospitalized as of Sunday afternoon. The police presence in the area, shortly after, intensified.
Footage Shared
Footage shared by the outlet showed a massive presence of individuals at the scene prior to the incident. Alderman Jason Ervin described the scene as an after-prom party gone wrong rather than a traditional teen takeover.
Another clip shows the “immediate aftermath” of the collision. The involved vehicle was seen stationary while police officers were being attended to on the ground.
Finally, shortly after the incident, footage shows a massive police presence on South Loomis Street. Dozens of patrol cars can be seen flashing their lights, completely blocking the street.
Witness Details Incident
Resident Marcellous Johnson witnessed the collision and the prior teen takeover. He said that the blue car was not traveling particularly fast, but still managed to knock the five cops off their patrol car onto the pavement.
Johnson also described how things began to get out of hand as more teens began to show up in his neighborhood. He told WLS, “I walked downstairs, and I’m looking on the next block. And it’s literally hundreds of teenagers, ranging from like 14 to maybe 19-20. And they’re all here just hanging.”
Finally, he described how local police arrived at the scene. They came in proportionally, according to him, to the sheer number of civilians swarming South Loomis Street following their prom.
Mayor Reacts, Suspect Arrested and Charged
Shortly after the incident, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed it. He believed that parents, as well as their teenage children, should be held accountable.
“The accountability mechanism cannot just be with teenagers,” Mayor Johnson said. “I know where my son was at 3 a.m. after he went to prom and came home, and we need parents to ensure our children are coming home.”
Meanwhile, the driver, an unnamed 18-year-old, was taken into custody. While charges are still pending, the Chicago Police Department said that they found a gun inside the blue vehicle.