77 arrested by Chicago police in pre-4th of July gun, drug take down; Mayor to unveil safety plan

[Bosa]

Chicago police have arrested 77 people in a gun and drug takedown ahead of the 4th of July holiday, a police spokesman said.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police have arrested 77 people in a gun and drug takedown ahead of the 4th of July holiday, a police spokesman said.

Nearly a dozen weapons were recovered as part of Operation Independence conducted by CPD's Organized Crime Bureau, the spokesman said Wednesday morning.

It was part of a series of three take-downs focused in the Area Central, South and North Detective Divisions. They started about a month ago.

BREAKING - #ChicagoPolice Organized Crime Bureau has completed a pre-holiday gun and drug takedown. 77 people have been arrested and nearly a dozen weapons recovered in Operation Independence. A media briefing will be held this morning at 11a @ CPD HQ. pic.twitter.com/SYGF0oE8R2

— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) July 3, 2019


Police said they nabbed a high level target at 4250 South Princeton who they're identifying as a notorious gang leader and convicted murderer. Police said they pursued some of the most dangerous criminals in the city.

"When we conduct these operations, we don't want the low level guys that are selling the drugs on the street corner, we want the guys that are calling the shots," said Chicago Deputy Chief Anthony Riccio. "A lot of the times the people calling the shots for the narcotics dealing are the same guys calling the shots for the shootings and the violence, so those are the people that we want to target."

The arrests come as Mayor Lori Lightfoot prepares to to keep the city safe over the holiday weekend.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot held a news conference Wednesday afternoon at a park near Navy Pier to talk about what the city is doing to prepare.

"Our first goal of the weekend is the safety of our family and our residents, that's why over the next few days we'll be all hands on deck," Lightfoot said. "We've been preparing for these 4th of July festivities for some time."

More than 1,500 additional officers will be deployed to monitor huge crowds expected downtown. It's all hands on deck, so any time-off that officers had planned in the coming days is being canceled.

There will also be more undercover officers on the streets, in beaches and parks and at any planned events. Expect to see police around major transit hubs, beaches and parks and watch out on Lake Shore Drive because several safety initiatives are planned there.

The announcement comes after more violence in Chicago, leaving three women wounded in two separate shootings.

A 26-year-old woman was wounded in a drive-by shooting at about 2:33 a.m. in the 3100-block of West Madison in the East Garfield Park neighborhood.

Police said the woman was standing in the street when someone inside a blue minivan fired shots, wounded her in the arm. The woman was transported to Norwegian Hospital in good condition.

The other shooting occurred at about 12:29 a.m. in the 8700-block of South Ada in the Gresham neighborhood. Two women, ages 30 and 38, were walking when they were shot by a man, who was also on foot, police said.

The 30-year-old woman was shot in the torso and transported to Advocate Christ Hospital in stable condition, police said. The 38-year-old woman suffered a graze wound to the abdomen and transported herself to Advocate Christ Hospital.

No one is in custody in connection with either shooting.

[Bladewire]

This is awesome! God bless America

[brassmonkey]

this is not going to do anything. they are still going to shoot. we are talking millions of dollars. those corners are atms! 3 hours you could have a trash bag full of money. problem is they blow up spots. you have to attack the core and that is the drug trade. won't happen because there are so many things that are connected to the sale of dope.