More Than 35 Businesses Vandalized
At a press conference yesterday, Naperville Police Chief Bob Marshall said more than 30 downtown businesses and five in other sections of town were vandalized and looted on Monday night. The Shoot Point Blank gun shop was among those burglarized, with four individuals being arrested after stealing more than 10 firearms. Marshall said in total, 11 people were arrested for Monday night incidents. Police are investigating security tapes and additional footage in the hopes of making more arrests. Mayor Steve Chirico condemned the acts of violence, saying “looting and violence is never the answer.”
Council Addresses Vandalized Shops, Looting
The events of Monday night were also addressed by city council at the start of their meeting last night. Chirico said he was saddened to see looting occur after the protest that evening, but was uplifted by all the people who helped clean up early the next morning. Police Chief Bob Marshall said he was proud of the restraint used by his officers that night, and members of council agreed the police handled the situation well. At the end of the meeting, Chirico suggested the city create a grant program to help local businesses recover from damage received that night, saying it will be tough for some to recover without help after the coronavirus kept them closed for over two months.
5th Avenue Redevelopment Discussed
The 5th Avenue Redevelopment Project was another topic of discussion at the council meeting. After voting not to move on with Ryan Companies’ baseline concept in October, there’s been little progress on the project. Public speakers were against the idea of a referendum on the project on the November 3 ballot, saying the issue was too complicated to condense into one sentence. However, most council members were interested in scheduling a workshop to engage with the public. That workshop will use a “compromise” concept created by Chirico and Councilman Patrick Kelly as a starting point. There was no date set for the workshop – that will be discussed at a future meeting.
Peaceful Night For Naperville
Though many storefronts boarded up proactively against potential vandalism, last night was a peaceful one in downtown Naperville. After over 700 people came out yesterday morning for clean up efforts, sidewalks were clear and chalk art and signs of support were on full display. A group of about two-dozen peaceful protestors assembled in front of The Lantern, as many passing cars honked to show their support.
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