Hundreds Of Teens Party, Fight In Hyde Park As Mayor Watches

CHICAGO, IL — Hundreds of teens came to hang out and watch Barack Obama's motorcade roll through Hyde Park Tuesday evening, but not all of them were on their best behavior. Police reported thefts, vehicle damage, dumpster fires, robberies and vandalism. They also confiscated as many as eight BB guns.

According to posts on the Hyde Park Facebook page, there weren't enough officers outside of the 53rd Street area.

"There was a very strong presence on 53rd," one person posted. "However, immediately north of that police presence, we saw a group of kids with paint guns, and then we heard them start firing them as soon as we quickly got ourselves out of there. This was on Dorchester, and they were not even to 52nd by the time they started firing."

According to other Facebook posts, some bystanders—who weren't participating in the partying—were shot with pellet guns.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel entered the restaurant A10 on 53rd Street at about 7 p.m. A volunteer told DNAinfo Chicago that many teens recognized the mayor and started making faces at him. He reportedly left before Obama's motorcade arrived at 8:15 p.m.

Two teens punched a University of Chicago police officer in the face while he was trying to break up a fight at about 9:40 p.m. on 53rd near Lake Park Avenue, U. of C. police said.

Ald. Sophia King (4th) and Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) tried to hold a party on the Midway Plaisance to lure teens away from 53rd St., but few kids showed up.

Police said many of the BB guns looked like real guns, putting officers on edge. Some of the kids were reportedly bold enough to shoot at each other while cops looked on.

Two U. of C. students were robbed in separate incidents, according to university police. The first robbery happened in the 5400 block of South Cornell Avenue, the second in the 5600 block of Kenwood Avenue.

A10 Restaurant, where Mayor Emanuel dined Tuesday evening. Image via Google Streetview