Deadly Loop shootings: $10K reward offered for info leading to arrest

$10K reward offered for info on deadly Loop shootings

A $10,000 reward is being offered for information on two shootings that left one teen dead and multiple others injured in the city's downtown on Friday night.

CHICAGO - A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in connection with two shootings Friday night in the Loop that left a 14-year-old boy dead and several others injured.

What we know:

Crime Stoppers announced the reward as police continued to search for suspects in the violence that broke out during what was expected to be a festive night on State Street and at Millennium Park. 

Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) said large groups of teens had gathered downtown, some of them intent on causing chaos.

Just before 10 p.m., gunfire was unleashed into a crowd in the 100 block of North State Street, wounding seven teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17. All seven were reported in good condition. A short time later, another shooting occurred on South Dearborn Street, fatally striking 14-year-old Armani Floyd and seriously wounding an 18-year-old man.

It was unclear if the two shootings were related.

Two police officers were also injured during the unrest. Hopkins said some teens were armed with mace and stun guns and used them against officers.

What they're saying:

The alderman said the city regularly takes steps to prevent violence during large teen gatherings but warned the efforts don’t always work. Hopkins renewed his call for a "snap curfew" that would allow police to disperse large crowds before situations escalate.

"We needed that tool last night," Hopkins said. "If the police had it, potentially they could have dispersed the crowd before the guns came out and violence happened."

Hopkins said he plans to revisit the curfew proposal and expects growing support following the shootings. Any such measure, he added, would still need to avoid a veto from Mayor Brandon Johnson.