Multiple instances of illegal street drifting and stunting have occurred on yet another weekend in Chicago, enraging neighbors and eliciting complaints from community leaders.
Residents in the West Loop captured the chaos on camera early Sunday, but the mayhem wasn't just limited to one community. Racers took over multiple intersections, including West Madison and South Morgan streets in the West Loop, as well as South Morgan Street and West Washington Boulevard.
The sound of screeching tires before the sun rose gave some an unwelcome wakeup call.
"I am absolutely disgusted and upset," said Armando Chacon, president of West Central Association and a West Loop resident. "One thing is to do this at an industrial park, but another is to come to our neighborhood, to the heart of the neighborhood. To do this, it’s absolutely ridiculous."
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"It's destruction of property, it's showing [a] really sad display of what Chicago really is," added Carla Agostinelli, director of the West Central Association.
One couple, who lives in an area frequented by street racers, believes police can only do so much.
"It wakes my husband and I up, and you see a mass of people, cars all over the place," the wife said.
Local
Chicago police say they received multiple calls from across the city overnight. Officers found themselves in danger on the Lower West Side, while responding to a takeover near West Cermak Road and South Lumber Street.
People started throwing objects at officers, damaging six patrol cars and also pointed lasers at the officers.
The Chicago City Council in July approved an ordinance to crack down on street racing and illegal stunts, but neighbors want to see more done.
"I don’t want us to wait until somebody does get hurt. We need to take action now," Chacon said.
Chicago police are continuing to investigate, and so far, no arrests have been made.
