Downtown Chicago crime: Nearly 1,000 expected to participate in public safety meeting

CHICAGO - Concerns about crime in downtown Chicago is leading to a big meeting Tuesday night in the Gold Coast neighborhood.

Businesses and neighbors will be weighing in on safety in a public safety forum being held at 6 p.m. via Zoom.

Second Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins will be a part of the meeting along with Commander Jill Stevens of the 18th District.

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Hopkins says the Gold Coast is seeing an increase in illegal drug sales, carjackings and armed robberies and this meeting is being held to answer the numerous inquiries he's received from frightened residents who have noticed the uptick in crime.

Over the weekend in River North, video showed two people being beaten and robbed on State Street prompting concern not only from downtown residents, but businesses as well, already struggling because of the pandemic.

Alderman Hopkins says at Tuesday night's meeting, he expects to hear the tactics Chicago police are using to help bring criminals to justice.

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"They need to be arrested and they need to be incarcerated," Hopkins said "They cannot be left free to continue committing these acts of criminal behavior, time and time again in the same area. It just, it can't be allowed to happen. We can't look the other way. We have to put a stop to this or downtown as a destination will just wither and die."

Hopkins says about 1,000 people have registered for Tuesday night's forum, far more than he expected, which speaks to the growing concern in the neighborhood.

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It's become so large that some of topics they were originally planning to address, like reckless driving and drag racing, has been tabled for another forum on Sept. 7.