Chicago Thanksgiving parade: Mayor Brandon Johnson confident in safety plan after deadly Loop shooting killed teen
Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed confidence in the safety plan set for this holiday weekend. He said the plan will enable residents and visitors to enjoy all of the festivities downtown, including the Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Johnson contending that the headline-grabbing violence of the past two weeks does not define the city, and he wants people to come downtown and enjoy all that Chicago has to offer. But he also said Chicago police will be prepared.
The Thanksgiving holiday weekend always brings large crowds of visitors downtown, to shop, dine and spend time with family.
The mayor says police will be doing everything possible to keep things safe.
"I've continued to have conversations with my superintendent of police to make sure that we're deploying our officers in strategic locations, working with our community violence intervention workers and all of our partners to ensure that we are keeping every single resident of this city safe," Johnson said.
This weekend kicks off against the backdrop of the violence that marred last weekend when in two separate shooting incidents downtown, nine teens were shot, one of them killed after police tried to break up a teen takeover in Millennium Park.
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Chicago Police said they knew of the gathering two days ahead of time.
Entering this Thanksgiving weekend, the mayor says there's no intelligence about any teen gatherings, but he is concerned about what he called "reckless young people who don't care about their lives or others."
"Obviously, there are some adjustments that we need to make," the mayor said. "But really the challenge is we need adults, parents, loved ones, to know where your children are."
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With the arson attack on a woman on the CTA , on top of the shootings, President Donald Trump spotlighting Chicago this week, again talking about sending in the military.
"If you look at the crime that's taken place in Chicago in the last two weeks, just take a look it's on the front page of every newspaper, it's out of control," Trump said on Tuesday.
The Mayor dismissing Trump's remarks.
"Well, I don't spend much time thinking about him. You know, 90% of what it says likely to be untrue anyways, because this was the same president that tried to take credit for violence going down in the summer months. Even though he wasn't here," Johnson said.
Johnson says he wants the good things, not high profile crimes to be what defines Chicago.
"We're not going to allow some irresponsible individuals to dictate and determine how we throw down as a city. It's a holiday season. I want people to get out and spend some time with their families," Mayor Johnson said.
The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade kicks off on Thursday on State Street at 8:45 a.m. from Ida B. Wells to Randolph.
Chicago police issued the following statement:
"As with all major events throughout the city, the Chicago Police Department will be present and visible along the Thanksgiving Day parade route and other celebrations this upcoming holiday season.
CPD will monitor developments to ensure resources are in place to maintain public safety for those taking part in holiday festivities, as well as all who live and work in the areas of celebrations."
