14-Year-Old Killed in Chicago Shooting During Teen Takeover

URGENT UPDATE: A 14-year-old boy has been identified as the victim of a fatal shooting in downtown Chicago during a chaotic “teen takeover” event on Friday night. Armani Floyd succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was pronounced dead at 10:59 p.m. Friday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

“This is a heartbreaking tragedy,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “No parent wants to get that terrible, life-altering call. It is senseless violence like these shootings that makes us all feel unsafe and has left too many families in Chicago reeling.”

Floyd was one of two teenagers found shot in the street at 140 S. Dearborn St. after an earlier shooting incident. Eyewitness accounts and video footage show large crowds roaming the area before suddenly scattering, indicating the chaos that ensued. Police recovered three 9-mm casings, a live round, and a fired bullet from the scene.

Just before this incident, an 18-year-old man was shot in the leg in a separate shooting outside the Chicago Theatre on the 100 block of North State Street at approximately 10 p.m. Friday. He was taken to the same hospital and remains in serious condition. This shooting injured a total of seven teenagers, aged 13 to 17, who were also transported to local hospitals in varying conditions.

Authorities report that both shootings were connected to a “teen takeover” event that had been circulating on social media, prompting teens to gather downtown following the annual tree-lighting ceremony at Millennium Park. Posts warned people to avoid the Loop due to the anticipated influx of youth, many reportedly traveling from as far as Dolton and Evanston.

As of Sunday evening, no suspects have been taken into custody for either shooting, raising concerns among community leaders and residents about safety and the ongoing violence in the city. Police continue to investigate the incidents, urging anyone with information to come forward.

The impact of this violence reverberates throughout the community, highlighting the urgent need for effective measures to address youth violence and ensure public safety. As this story develops, residents and officials alike are left grappling with the tragic loss of a young life and the broader implications for the city.

Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.