Meeting on Safety Held by Streeterville Community Following Shooting of Tourist Near AMC Theater on Illinois Street in Chicago

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago police engaged with residents in Streeterville to discuss their approach to addressing recent gun violence in the area.

Just a couple weeks ago, a tourist walking with her young son was hit by gunfire. She did recover.

Police had an update on that case as they try to address safety concerns in the area at a town hall meeting Wednesday night.

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Shortly after a shooting occurred near a downtown AMC theater, Streeterville residents are feeling uneasy about safety, particularly as more people are expected to be out during the warmer weather.

Dozens of Streeterville residents gathered at the town hall, which was sponsored by Streeterville Organization of Active Residents, or SOAR.

“The neighborhood remains tense following the incident on Illinois Street close to the AMC theater a few weeks ago, where shots were fired during a large gathering of young people,” remarked 2nd Ward Ald. Brian Hopkins.

The meeting comes weeks after that shooting near Illinois and Columbus that injured a 46-year-old woman visiting Chicago. Officials said she was headed back to her hotel with her 11-year-old son at the time of the shooting.

“Every spring we seem to start off the same way where all of a sudden, it gets warm and this type of activity floods the streets of Streeterville,” Ald. Hopkins said.

RELATED | Tourist shot while walking with 11-year-old son near Streeterville AMC theater, officials say

Longtime residents who attended the town hall said the Streeterville of today is far different from when many here moved to the neighborhood decades ago.

“There’s some comfort knowing that we live in this area,” resident Violet Kovacevic said. “Here, we consider it safer but now were realizing there’s no such thing as a safe area anymore.”

Crime and safety were a top priority for city leaders and police who spoke at the meeting.

“We need solutions, we know it’s going to happen again,” Ald. Hopkins said. “We can’t sit back passively and wait for the next incident of gunfire.”

Next month, Ald. Hopkins, the chairman of the public safety committee, will push forward his proposal to establish an 8 p.m. curfew for unaccompanied minors in the Central Business District.

The city currently enforces a 10 p.m. curfew.

“We always feel reassured when we hear them and see them in person and feel that they are really listening, but it’s still yet to be seen,” Kovacevic said.

As far as the investigation into the shooting near the AMC theater, city officials told ABC7 that detectives have strong leads in the case.