PHOTO & VIDEO DOCUMENTATION OF
CHICAGO POLICE & EMERGENCY VEHICLE
RESPONSE TO ONGOING NIGHTCLUB PROBLEMS
The following photos are random, and do NOT document ALL incidents
requiring supervision or response by the CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT
WARNING! The following video clips contain offensive language and depict actual violence.
· Most video clips have been shortened to accommodate this web format, but remain chronological.
· All views are of Lake Street looking south, with Halsted on the left & Green St on the right.
· ALL video sound files (including any background music) were recorded with the images,
AS ACTUALLY HEARD ON THE STREET. The sound has NOT been enhanced, supplemented or amplified.
NOTE:
Every once in a while, one of our embedded YouTube videos GETS ALL CRAZY
and either DISAPPEARS or MORPHS INTO ANOTHER VIDEO. Don't get all CRANKY PANTS on us!
Since they're linked to YouTube.com, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THIS.
Just take a deep breath, think happy thoughts and refresh your browser, come back later or
view the video directly at
YouTube.com (And lay off that caffeine!)
The Lake Street nightclubs close at 2:00 AM, Mon thru Sat, and 3:00 AM, Sunday morning.
Other clubs in the vicinity have a Late Night Licence, closing at 4:00 AM, Mon thru Sat, and 5:00 AM, Sun morning.
~BLUE CIRCLES on photos denote POLICE and EMERGENCY VEHICLES~
10/28/07 - CHROMIUM MOB BRAWL & ARRESTS
Chromium remains open while continuances are pending with the DBA for liquor license violations and Chicago's Drug
and Gang House Enforcement Section.
Security fails to disperse a huge crowd of exiting patrons, who congregate in the
street outside the club. Several fights ensue as patrons brawl up and down the street. The 12th District POLICE DEPARTMENT,
University of Illinois POLICE and the Chicago FIRE DEPARTMENT intercede to squelch the rioting.
Neighboring Shadow Bar patrons are ushered out the rear door, into the alley, to ensure their safety.
Excuse the poor quality of this video. Our old camera was on its last legs.
But don't worry ... WE HAVE A NEW ONE!
CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE A FULL_SIZE PHOTO (prints on 11" x 17" paper)
IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW BETTER...by looking at Chromium's website, you might be mislead to think they're not promoting any weekly events.
THIS PHOTO OBVIOUSLY SHOWS OTHERWISE. We're also thinking the crowd looks a wee bit larger than should be allowed on their occupancy permit...
but what does it matter if you squeeze in a few hundred extra people or so?
8/19/07 - CHICAGO POLICE RESPOND TO NIGHTCLUB HOMICIDE
This video begins Sunday morning 8/19/07, 2:20 AM, with short intermittent clips assembled chronologically, till 3:50 AM.
Most filming occurs with the camera set on remote, and begins just prior to the 3:00 AM closing time for the Lake &
Halsted nightclubs. The camera initially faces southwest, as a Chicago Police squadrol (police wagon) pulls up to the
front of the Chromium Niteclub, to join a CPD squad car already on duty to monitor the clubs and their patrons.
Gunshots occur at 3:10 AM, about 1/4 through the video
(after you hear the barking dogs). As club patrons run for cover,
the EIGHT CPD Officers on foot patrol in the area, run towards the gunshots. When they arrive at the scene, the Police
Officers find a young man who's been shot to death, just east of the intersection. The 28-yr-old victim was killed after
coming to the defense of females who were being harassed by drunken nightclub patrons.
About halfway through the video, the camera is shifted to face southeast, towards the Lake & Halsted intersection,
to show Police response to the crime scene. At the request of the 12th District Police Commander, both the Chromium
and Shadow Bar nightclubs voluntarily closed for two weeks after the shooting. Both nightclubs have since resumed
operations as usual.
This video was recorded with a Sony Handycam. Additional CD recordings from this Editor's
ADT security system were turned over to Chicago Area 4 Homicide Detectives after the shooting and will NOT be made public. CLICK THIS LINK to see photos of bullet holes
in a car abandoned by Lake and Jefferson Streets, after the shooting.
"Thanks" go out to the local resident who sent us these photos.
2/17/07 - POLICE RESTRAIN NIGHTCLUB FIGHTING
With a CHICAGO POLICE TACTICAL CAR stationed directly in front of SHADOW BAR'S main door, one might assume a
reasonable person would abstain from fighting. Disconcertingly, SEVERAL FIGHTS broke out among exiting
SHADOW BAR patrons, resulting in arrests and a convergence of CHICAGO POLICE CARS.
Even AFTER 12th District POLICE SQUADS kept responding to the scene, MORE FIGHTS broke out! Were they TRYING
to get arrested? We lost count of the number of FIGHTS, ARRESTS and POLICE CARS.
(fighting from this night continues in PART 2)
Early SATURDAY morning BRAWLS & FIGHTS are now the NORM, as FRIDAY night crowds exit the clubs!
Early SUNDAY morning fighting is under control since the CHICAGO POLICE are ALWAYS present Saturday nights, till after the 3 AM Sunday morning nightclub closings.
Saturday, 1/20/07 - 2:00 AM WEEK SIXTY ONE of the "LAKE STREET LOCKDOWN"
begins with a BRAWL at Lake & Halsted. At the same time a HUGE MOB FIGHT,
comprised of exiting SHADOW BAR patrons, erupts in front of the clubs. Violent fighting continues back and forth in the street till POLICE arrive. SEVERAL 12th DISTRICT POLICE VEHICLES respond to break up the fighting and arrest offenders.
