Chicago Ald. Urges Shutdown of Nightclub Following Mass Shooting
Early Sunday morning, a mass shooting occurred outside Blüm restaurant and nightclub in River North, prompting Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly to call for the establishment’s closure. Eight people were shot during a fight that took place in the 300 block of West Erie at approximately 2:38 a.m. According to Reilly, he and residents have been expressing concerns about the nightclub for years, but the city has not taken any action to address the issues.
Despite Reilly’s warnings, the nightclub has been allowed to continue operating, which he finds inexplicable. In an effort to resolve the ongoing problems, Reilly’s office has been working towards the sale of the building and subsequently shutting down and evicting Blüm before the building is sold next month. Reilly indicated that he had requested a summary closure order from the Chicago Police Department, which was expected to be issued on Sunday. However, it remains unclear whether the order had been issued by the end of the day.
Blaming late-night nightclubs for contributing to crime in the area, Reilly stated, “These late-hour nightclubs are a blight on River North, with many catering to gangbangers, drug dealers, and gun-toting patrons.” He criticized the head of Chicago’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, urging the commissioner and his team to revoke liquor licenses and take action against these “bad actors.”
Reilly emphasized that it should not take a mass shooting for a problematic nightclub to be closed down. He urged the city to address the issue before more lives are put at risk. NBC Chicago reached out to both the Chicago Police Department and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection for a response but had not received one as of late Sunday night.
Reilly’s complete message to residents expressed his frustration with the lack of action taken against Blüm and the detrimental impact of late-night clubs on the River North neighborhood. He called on the city to step up and shut down these establishments to ensure the safety of downtown residents.