Chicago cop seen on video pointing gun at street takeover spectators; internal investigation launched

A Chicago police officer was seen on video pointing a gun at street takeover spectators, which has prompted a departmental internal investigation, WGN-TV reported.

The station said the video was recorded early Monday morning and shows street takeover participants drifting in the intersection of West 59th Street and South Pulaski Road in the West Lawn neighborhood on the city’s southwest Side.

Police told WGN no arrests were made Monday morning in connection with the street takeover.

The video then shows a Chicago police transport truck drive through the intersection and an officer pointing a gun out of the passenger window, WGN said, adding that people at the street takeover responded by hurling insults and slurs at the officers.

You can view the clip — which shows the street takeover and the officer pointing the gun — as part of WGN's video report here.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability confirmed to WGN that it also is investigating the incident CPD’s Bureau of Internal Affairs notified the group.

More from the station:

In July 2022, city leaders passed an ordinance to impose harsher fines for drifting events like the one that occurred Monday morning in West Lawn, as well as drag racing. The ordinance allows police to use picture and video evidence, along with license plate readers, to track down vehicles involved and impound them. It also imposes a $5,000 fine.

Despite city leaders passing the ordinance, drifting events like the one in West Lawn on Monday are still happening across the city.

Police told WGN no arrests were made Monday morning in connection with the street takeover.

How are observers reacting?

As you might guess, many fed-up-with-crime commenters on WGN's Facebook page expressed anger — not at the officer who pointed the gun, but at those in the lawless crowd. Check out some of them:

• "Leave her alone!!" one commenter said. "She's protecting herself and her partner! Go after the real criminals!"
• "Should have started double tapping," another user said. "That would’ve dispersed the crowd rapidly."
• "Did I miss something?" another user wondered. "It’s OK that there is a street takeover by a bunch of thugs, but a cop can’t show a gun? WTF. That’s why Chicago is getting worse and worse. Grew up there, and don’t care if I ever see the city again."

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