Cicero asks locals to stay home after 2 die in unrest following George Floyd's death

CHICAGO - Authorities in a Chicago suburb where two people were fatally shot in unrest following George Floyd’s death issued fresh safety precautions Tuesday.

Cicero officials warned residents to “stay home and stay off the streets” and declared a “state of emergency” a day after violence and destruction erupted in the town of about 84,000 west of Chicago.

Police, who responded to 41 calls of gunfire, said most of Monday’s chaos stemmed from residents trying to defend businesses. Roughly 60 people were arrested, mostly for burglary and weapons violations. Two people died in separate shootings around 6 p.m. related to the violent clashes: a 27-year-old Cicero man and 29-year-old Chicago man.

“We stand with everyone who is outraged by the death of George Floyd,” said Police Superintendent Jerry Chlada. “Unfortunately, some people were not protesting peacefully and took advantage of the situation.”’

Floyd, a black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed Floyd’s neck with his knee as the man pleaded he couldn’t breathe. Protests over his death and wider issues of race and police brutality have been followed by chaos for days, particularly around Chicago.

Access to downtown Chicago remained tightly controlled with road closures and limited public transportation.