A vehicle crashed into a jewelry store on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago's Loop Sunday afternoon, startling pedestrians on the busy street and prompting a large law enforcement response.
"I was walking across the street with my kids, and then I heard a big explosion," witness Ahmad Rumaneh said. "I saw a car just ran into the store, and a lot of police chasing him."
The crash was reported after 4 p.m. at Nakamol Chicago, a jewelry boutique located at 336 N. Michigan Ave.
According to Chicago police, officers noticed the suspect vehicle driving erratically on Michigan Avenue heading south, and after watching the driver commit several violations, officers attempted to pull him over.
At that moment, police stated, the suspect sped off.
"The officers did follow the vehicle, but they were not chasing the vehicle," said Chicago Police Department spokesman Jose Jara.
The three men inside the car - who are all in their 20s and known to police - took off on foot, but were quickly arrested.
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The vehicle was reported stolen out of suburban Des Plaines Sunday morning, police stated.
One witness who happened upon the scene moments after the crash said the area smelled of rubber, and shattered glass was everywhere.
"It was intense," Erik Pelligrino said. "No one got hurt, and I'm really happy no one got hurt, because everyone was freaking out."
A manager at Nakamol Jewelry told NBC 5 that she was trying to figure out the immediate next steps, and the situation was especially difficult because the store was also damaged during looting over the summer.
