Chicago Businesses Begin Boarding Up Windows in Expectation of Riots

Businesses across Chicago boarded up windows on Thursday in anticipation of rioting and looting. The move comes as Chicago police officials released a bodycam video showing the shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo in March.

Twitter posts from all across Chicago show businesses boarding up their windows. The businesses appear to be preparing for additional rioting and looting after the release of the bodycam video.

The video appears to show Toledo holding a pistol in his hand less than a second before the officer shot him fatally in the chest. Police found the pistol a few feet away, behind the fence.

Chicago Sun-Times journalist Ashlee Rezin Garcia tweeted photos of businesses on the Magnificent Mile boarding up their windows.

Twitter user Ms. Ezell, tweeted photos from multiple parts of the Windy City. “It’s sad to say that they’re boarding up windows, blocking off entrances to business once again in anticipation of more rioting and looting,” she wrote.

CBS Chicago Anchor Brad Edwards also tweeted photos of downtown businesses being boarded up.

The riot and looting preparations came in advance of Thursday’s release of bodycam video showing a police officer shooting Toledo in the chest following a foot pursuit.

City Alderman Chris Taliaferro, a former Chicago police officer, spoke to reporters shortly after watching the newly released video.

“It’s both tragic and horrible,” the alderman said. He later said the video clearly shows Toledo with a gun in his hand, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. He would not elaborate on the timeline.

“The young man did have a gun and everything happened so quickly. It is not an extended video,” Taliaferro added. “Everything happened so quickly and the officer took immediate action to render aid to Mr. Toledo as well.”