CHICAGO (CBS) – Several recent shootings at the popular 31st Street Beach have so alarmed Chicago authorities that a local alderman wants the beach closed early over the Fourth of July weekend.
There have been nine shootings on or near the beach so far in 2024. The disturbing trend has forced Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th) to work with the Chicago Park District to close the beach at 9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, July 7, two hours earlier than normal.
“The incidents that have happened on this beach have happened at midnight and 1:30 in the morning because people were loitering,” Robinson said.
Beachgoers will also find extra fencing, bag checks, more private and park security, and a stronger Chicago police presence. The extra precautions don’t just apply to teens.
“We close it for everyone at 9 p.m.,” Robinson said.
The drastic measure is necessary, according to the councillor, to keep everyone safe, even though critics claim that it will only shift the problem to another beach.
“The concern is not to push beachgoers somewhere else,” he said. “It’s to make sure we’re safe here.”
Darryl Hess, a self-described social media influencer, hosted several “teen gatherings” last year, but said he quickly saw the negative impact.
News reporter: “You knew things weren’t going well?”
Hess: “Absolutely not what I imagined.”
Now, Hess and Miracle Boyd are encouraging those same followers on social media to come together for something positive, like Peace Palooza, coming to the 4th Ward later this month.
“We do a lot of festivals and offer a lot of workshops and resources for youth at our Peace Palooza event,” Boyd said.
Anyone visiting the beach on 31st Street can expect some changes for the time being, including a notice about bag searches.
“We need [bag checks and more police] “Enforcement is absolutely necessary,” Hess said.
Robinson added that he and other officials will assess after this weekend whether to extend restrictions beyond the holidays.
Jermont Terry
