North Avenue Beach Assaults?

I've been hearing rumors that North Avenue Beach was closed do to out of control thugs  and gangbangers groping and assaulting people, not due to heat, as has been widely reported.  Rumors of cyclists knocked from their bikes... I know a few cyclists were picked up and dropped in the lake by some thugs early last month. The sources are somewhat suspect, but I wanted to know if anyone had heard or experienced anything.  Generally my least favorite part of the trail, but I'm debating whether to avoid it completely this summer. As the CPD is undergoing regime change, we should be diligent about reporting incidents like this, even if front-line CPD staff are dismissive... so that resources get allotted appropriately.

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Permalink Reply by Alderman Hopkins on June 13, 2011 at 12:19pm

I just want to confirm that North Avenue Beach was NOT closed on Memorial Day weekend due to "thugs and gangbangers" but rather the high temps, much larger than anticipated crowds, and quick series of alchohol-related medical calls that paramedics could not propertly respond to in the dense crowd. The concern among the senior police command on the scene was that someone would die on the beach due to heat stroke and intoxication, while paramadics were looking for them. There have been occasions in the past when authorities closed North Ave beach due to sudden and widespread gang activity, but this was not one of those instances. Also, the rumors that cyclists and their bikes were dropped into the lake have not been confirmed by anyone, and a search of 911 calls reveals NO such incidents were reported. Lots of people seem to have heard this happend, but not a single person it supposedly happend to has been identified.

 

While the media have certainly done their share of sensationalizing some of the recent incidents that actually did happen, I give them credit for not reporting the numerous unconfirmed rumors that have spread on message boards and comment sections. It does not help the discussion to post things you merely heard as if they are confirmed facts.  

 

Permalink Reply by Shay on June 16, 2011 at 5:29am

Great.  New reason to be wary of the Lake Front Path.  And this happened in the middle of the afternoon, no less!

 

Be careful out there, guys.  

Permalink Reply by Chris B on June 16, 2011 at 7:19am

I was surprised it's been almost a week since that assault by 35th and the police are finally issuing a warning now. Seriously?

 

I suppose it only happened once or they would have for sure put out a warning sooner, at least I hope.

 

Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on June 24, 2011 at 2:16am

most news channels ran that last night. i think we all already knew the real facts.



H3N3 said:

Follow-up--

911 calls give more of a picture of what happened the day they closed North Avenue Beach.

Emmanuel and McCarthy lied like rugs.

 

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/911-beach-calls-reveal-r...

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on June 30, 2011 at 9:02am
NBC news ran a story yesterday, including a interview with one of the 911 callers from the Memorial Day violence.
Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on July 15, 2011 at 2:29am

Yesterday between 4:45 - 5:15 I was heading North past Oak Street Beach.  There were about 8 bicycle officers on the side of the path with two youths sitting about 10 yards apart.  Both were being questioned and one was in cuffs.  There was also a police SUV that had pulled over at that spot on LSD.

That's all I know.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on June 10, 2012 at 3:35am

The problem is back - in huge numbers. Got info this morning from an officer in the 18th district (which includes the Mag Mile and the lakefront from Fullerton down to the river) that all hell was breaking loose there yesterday - mobs of thugs all along the lakefront, especially from the Oak St. curve down to the river.

I also heard that mobs on Michigan Ave. were knocking some of the naked riders off their bikes.  To all of you who went, are you okay?

With the hot weather today, it's likely to be ugly out there again. 

Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on June 10, 2012 at 4:30am

We rode home along the lake front path from Oak St north last night around 10pm.  There was a huge police presence though no roving thugs.  They might have dispersed earlier.

Gotta love summer

Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on June 10, 2012 at 4:58am

Katie and I saw some cops, white shirts too, giving some young youts a talking too and an ear full of 'get the hell back' = we were super happy to see this - GO CPD!

Permalink Reply by Joe Willis on June 10, 2012 at 6:17am

I was at the front and when we hit the mag mile about 20 people rushed across the street and started pulling on some of the riders we yelled t them to stop and they mostly did.CPD was also just pulling up at that time.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on June 10, 2012 at 7:00am
sounds like we need to thank cpd. Overall they are helping us stay safe on our bikes. Good neighbor award?
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on June 10, 2012 at 7:12am

I'm sure they'd appreciate the thanks. This could be a tough summer.

Julie Hochstadter said:

sounds like we need to thank cpd. Overall they are helping us stay safe on our bikes. Good neighbor award?

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