Hours after Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said officers in the last two-and-a-half years have "recovered more guns than ever in the history of the Chicago Police Department," a man was shot and wounded during an attempted armed robbery near Chicago's River North neighborhood.
According to police, a 26-year-old man was standing outside the 500 block of North State Street at 3:26 a.m. Thursday when he was approached by male with a gun.
The offender then demanded the victim's belongings, officials say. When the victim refused, a physical struggle between the two ensued. During the struggle, the suspect shot the 26-year-old in the wrist and then fled the scene on foot, police say.
The victim was transported to a nearby hospital in good condition. A description of the suspect was not released by police.
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The armed robbery comes one day after Chicago Police issued a community alert about an "armed robbery crew" responsible for at least nine recent robberies in the downtown area.
According to police, a group of assailants has been driving around the downtown area in a white Nissan Rogue SUV with Florida license plates. Those assailants, armed with handguns and wearing black ski masks and all black clothing, have been jumping out of the vehicle and demanding property from victims before fleeing the scene.
As the summer months in downtown Chicago continue to see a rash of violent crime, police say they've beefed up security measures downtown including new security protocols for people attending events at Millennium Park, a new Sherriff's Office command post in River North, more officers on the streets and more.
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The city is also offering residents up to a $1,020 reimbursement for newly security equipment purchased, in hopes that footage from those residential cameras may be shared with police and other public safety officials to aid in solving crimes.
And during a press conference Wednesday discussing a chaotic night resulting in a shooting Tuesday at North Avenue Beach, Supt. Brown said "Strict consequences for violent offenders is always wanted to turn violent offenders from continuing to do what they what they've done."
This past weekend in Chicago, at least 47 people were shot, 13 of them in just five hours late Sunday and early Monday.
