Paul Vallas criticized Mayor Lightfoot for not being able to handle the cases pertaining to violence in the state.
Vallas, former CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), said in a Facebook post that Lightfoot has no control over Chicago and has failed to come up with actual solutions to address issues with violence. Lightfoot issued a curfew for unaccompanied minors in Millennium Park following a gathering of hundreds of teens there that left one teen dead. Vallas ran for mayor of Chicago last election cycle and is considering running again.
"This weekend's violence downtown and across the city that saw a total of two 16-year-olds killed and 10 teens shot is sadly just a prelude to Mayor Lightfoot's so-called "Summer of Joy." Flash mobs once again descended on Millennium Park and the central business district, wreaking havoc and leaving one teen killed and three shot. Video footage from this weekend showed masses engaging in fights with CPD Officers and each other, dancing on top of CPD squad cars and damaging businesses. [...] Chicago's economic and tourism engine is quickly eroding from these recurring violent disruptions of the public way that terrorize residents and visitors. If Mayor Lightfoot and CPD Superintendent Brown actually enforced consequences upon participants in these incidents, perhaps they wouldn't take place every few days. [...] What we are witnessing is the systematic destruction of Chicago's economic heart as the Mayor and her CPD leadership team have no strategy for addressing escalating crime and lawlessness in the downtown area, let alone addressing neighborhood violence anywhere else in the city," said Vallas.
16-year-old Seandell Holliday was standing near 'The Bean' statue in Chicago's Millennium Park around 7:30 pm on Saturday when he was shot and killed, according to NBC Chicago. The boy was pronounced dead at Lurie Children's Hospital.
The shooting took place as a large crowd was gathered in the Park, according to NBC News. In total, 26 minors and 5 adults were arrested that evening, and authorities recovered eight weapons and made five gun-related arrests. A 17-year-old male suspect has been taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder for the 16-year-old's murder.
Over the weekend in Chicago, at least 33 people were shot, five of whom were killed, according to ABC News. Holliday was the youngest homicide victim, while a 13-year-old boy was the youngest person injured by gunfire. The 13-year-old was standing outside on the sidewalk shortly before 2 a.m. on Sunday morning when he was shot.
Violent crime in Chicago is near an all-time high, with 2,136 aggravated assaults, 2,260 aggravated batteries, 563 sexual assaults, 202 homicides, and 2,689 robberies reported as of May 9, according to CBS News. Chicago business owners are concerned that the violence will lead to a decrease in tourism this summer, hurting revenue. "Our main headwind right now is public safety," said Michael Jacobson, president of the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association. "Unfortunately, we have seen both individual leisure travelers begin to cancel their hotel rooms for the next several weeks and months because of what they've been hearing on the news and seeing happen downtown. More concerning is we've even seen conferences pull out of Chicago altogether for other cities in the Midwest."
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement, "Tragically, a young person - a teenager - lost his life last night in Millennium Park. I suspect an overwhelming majority of the youth who were in the Park were there to have a good time and enjoy a summer evening. But the scene devolved into one of chaos and unnecessary violence. We, as a City, can not allow any of our public spaces to become platforms for danger. Anyone coming into our public spaces should expect to enjoy them peacefully and must respect and exhibit basic community norms of decency. [...] So, effective immediately, from Thursday through Sunday, unaccompanied minors are not allowed in Millennium Park after 6:00 pm. This new policy will be strictly enforced, and violations will be dealt with swiftly. All of our residents and visitors under the age of 18 are welcome at the Park during the evening hours as long as they are accompanied by at least one responsible adult."
Democrat Paul Vallas, former CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is considering running for mayor of Chicago in the upcoming election, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Vallas ran an unsuccessful mayoral campaign last election cycle. Vallas has experience with the city's finances, having served as city revenue director and budget director under former Mayor Daley. Vallas is a law enforcement supporter, helping to secure raises for Chicago Police Officers while serving as an unpaid advisor to the Fraternal Order of Police.
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