CHICAGO — Vernell Watkins could be found grilling out on the Fourth of July at 31st Street Beach, where a 9 p.m. curfew takes effect tonight, and he’s not happy about it.
“It’s grown folks, over 35 and older, on the beach having a good time,” Watkins said. “We’re out here with our families. No problems, no trouble or nothing.”
The curfew at 31st Street Beach was set after several shootings took place near the beach over the last two weeks of June.
“After the holiday, we will assess every day if we need to continue that 9pm closure,” said Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th Ward).
Robinson initially called for there to be a 10-day curfew at 31st Street Beach, but backtracked Thursday and said instead, it will extend only through Monday after a local business owner expressed concerns over losing profits if they had to close early.
“I’m concerned about that too,” said Lester Watkins. “I do agree with the nine o’clock curfew until they can get control of this. That’s outrageous. Just the other day a young lady stabbed somebody.”
On Saturday night, a 17-year-old girl stabbed a concealed carry license holder, who then shot her in response to being stabbed.
On June 21, a couple was killed after an argument in a parking lot near the beach.
A day earlier than that, two other women were shot, one fatally, in another parking lot near the beach.
In response, the Chicago Police Department has increased their presence around the beach, installing fencing and placing bag checkpoints at entrance points to the beach.