Chicago teen takeover chaos sparks arrests and new proposals

Chicago police are facing renewed scrutiny after chaotic Memorial Day crowds led to dozens of arrests, multiple shootings and dramatic confrontations caught on camera.

(NBC)- Chicago police are facing renewed scrutiny after chaotic Memorial Day crowds led to dozens of arrests, multiple shootings and dramatic confrontations caught on camera.

New video shows officers pinning people to the ground and struggling to control large crowds in downtown Chicago.

Police say 53 people were arrested during the disturbances, while three teenagers were shot nearby.

The unrest came just one day after investigators say an 18-year-old drove his car into a crowd of five police officers. All five officers are now reported in fair condition.

The teenager is now charged with attempted murder.

Authorities say Chicago experienced two so-called “teen takeovers” within a 24-hour period.

The gatherings are part of a growing nationwide trend where large groups of teenagers organize meetups on social media that often spiral into violence and disorder.

In Tampa earlier this month, police body camera footage captured massive fights during another teen takeover event.

Authorities there arrested 22 people, some as young as 12 years old.

Similar scenes have played out across the country.

In Washington, D.C., a large fight erupted inside a Chipotle restaurant.

Outside Milwaukee, video showed cars spinning through intersections during another gathering.

Police there responded to 12 teen takeover incidents in a single weekend last month.

Now, Chicago officials are considering tougher measures aimed at parents.

One city representative is proposing charges against parents of minors arrested after the city’s 10 p.m. curfew during teen takeover events.

The proposed charge would be contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $2,500 and as much as 364 days in jail.

“I think that is a start,” one alderman said. “We need to have a proactive approach from police where they should be monitoring social media to establish where these meetups would be occurring and place the officers accordingly.”

City leaders say they are searching for ways to prevent future violence as concerns over teen takeovers continue growing nationwide.