By Sophie Sherry
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO — The Chicago Police Department has created a website of videos and photographs from this week’s looting, saying they hope people will help identify some of the hundreds of people who vandalized stores along the Mag Mile and elsewhere in the city.
Police say they have already made more than 100 arrests since hundreds of people swept through downtown Sunday night and early Monday, breaking into stores and confronting police. The vandalism came hours after officers shot and wounded a 20-year-old man in the Englewood neighborhood — a connection police have made but which has been disputed by some community residents and activists.
In a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan showed reporters one of the videos posted to the new site: A group of people going live on social media while trying to break into an ATM.
Deenihan pointed out that one person’s face is clearly visible in the video and said, “Obviously you should be able to identify that suspect.”
“We really need everyone’s help to identify these offenders so we can arrest and charge them,” Deenihan said. “Camera footage is only valuable when our officers and detectives can identify the individuals caught on camera committing the crime.
“We need help to get them off the street and before a judge,” he added.
The department does not plan to offer any reward for information, but Deenihan urged people to “do the right thing.”
The department will continue to update the site as detectives work with businesses to gather additional footage.
The website also contains the names, mug shots and charges of those already arrested.
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