Chicago lawmaker wants to fine parents up to $5,000 for ‘out of control’ children
A Chicago councilman has proposed fining parents up to $5,000 for “out of control” children after groups of teens over the weekend were behind a chaotic street takeover.
Ray Lopez’s proposed ordinance, introduced at a city council meeting on Monday, would also ensure that parents and unruly teenagers attend “licensed family counseling,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Other provisions would put paintball guns on the list of firearms that cannot be given to minors, and would prohibit people from using social media platforms to “abet or encourage” minors to engage in illegal activity, the Sun-Times reports.
“We have children who are out of control, causing 90% of the problems, particularly as it relates to street takeovers, drag racing, and all of the other illegal activities,” Lopez told the local newspaper.
He noted that the goal of his proposal “isn’t just to fine parents — it’s to change behavior and to help parents so they raise better children.”
Under Lopez’s proposal, any legal guardian who “willfully and/or knowingly” allows their child “to engage in a host of offenses wreaking havoc on the quality of life in Chicago neighborhoods” would be subject to fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.
It clarifies that the offenses “range from panhandling, underage and public drinking, cannabis use, violating curfew and climbing on cars to street takeovers and drag racing.”
Guardians who are found responsible for their children engaging in these activities “shall be held as responsible and accountable for the activity of said minor as if they committed the acts themselves,” the ordinance states.
Lopez introduced the bill just days after a video emerged showing a group of teenagers attacking a Tesla driver during a street takeover.
“Hundreds of kids took over an intersection and began jumping on passersby trying to escape the madness,” the alderman told the Sun-Times of the incident.
“These teens have jumped on buses. They’ve jumped on cars — not just downtown but in neighborhoods,” he added. “And we have no real recourse.”
In cellphone footage from the street takeover Friday night, teenagers in masks were seen punching out windows and pounding on the hood of a Tesla as its driver desperately tried to get away.
It sideswipes a gray sedan in its attempt to flee and can be seen with its side-view mirror hanging on by a thread as the group continues to try to chase after it.
Nearly 100 teenagers were spotted watching the incident unfold.
Chicago Police Department spokesman Tom Ahern told the Sun-Times that three cars were impounded and five people were arrested for “mob action and fleeing and eluding” for the attack.
