Citing “ongoing and escalating” violence at 31st Street Beach in recent weeks, 4th Ward Ald. Lamont Robinson has successfully lobbied for the early closure of the beach over the holiday weekend.
The beach will have a boosted police presence, new fencing and cameras. Bag checks and “heavily enforced” towing of illegally parked cars nearby has already been in place and will continue, Robinson said on social media this week.
In a statement, the Chicago Police Department confirmed it will “have additional resources in place” at beaches across the city, and said some “may be temporarily closed to maintain public safety and limit overcrowding. Our officers will remain present and visible so that all beachgoers can enjoy the lakefront safely.”
“The Chicago Park District security will continue to have a presence at 31st Street Beach during the 4th of July and throughout the weekend to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday and holiday weekend,” the district said in a statement.
The beach will close at 9 p.m., two hours earlier than usual. No cars will be allowed to enter the beach’s west parking lot after 8 p.m. and cars must leave the lot by 11 p.m. Harbor security will be in place from 6 to 11 p.m. Cars parked after then will stay there until reopening the following morning.
Robinson told the Tribune Thursday he would assess whether to continue the early closure after the holiday.
His first call for early closures followed a pair of fatal shootings late last month.
In the early morning of June 21st, police found a 23-year-old man and 22-year-old woman dead in the 3100 block of South DuSable Lake Shore Drive near the beach from multiple gunshot wounds. Chicago police said several people were arrested after the exchange of gunfire.
Two days earlier, police found two women wounded in the 600 block of East 31st Street. One of those women, a 22-year-old, later died at Insight Hospital after sustaining three gunshot wounds. The other victim was wounded in the left thigh.
He re-upped his calls for early closure after a shooting in the beach’s parking lot on June 29. A 17-year-old girl stabbed a 26-year-old woman after an argument. The 26-year-old pulled out a gun and shot the girl in her left shoulder. Both were hospitalized and the teen was arrested.
In all, Robinson said 9 young people had been shot since Memorial Day. He pledged to work with the mayor’s office to deploy violence interrupters to help de-escalate potentially violent situations at night, describing the level of violence as “unacceptable.”
Over the June 21 weekend, a crackdown near the beach ended with 37 cars towed and an arrest after a bag check at the beach turned up a gun.
“Three guns were confiscated and three people were arrested because of the bag checks,” since extra security measures went into effect, Robinson said. “That means those bag checks have been effective.”
Some of the conflicts have stemmed from “teen takeovers,” Robinson said. After some work, though, Robinson told the Tribune he found one of the main organizers of those get-togethers and not only convinced him to halt one that was planned for Monday, but got him an internship in his ward office.
That young person is now helping organize the July 19 “Peace Palooza” event at Oakwood Beach featuring rappers Vic Mensa, Joey Purp, and Eddy Mack.
“He’s helping me get that word out because we need to create safe spaces for our young people, which is why I’m having the event,” he said.
It will feature links to city services and a “stop the bleeding” seminar to teach first aid.
