Chicago’s downtown was in full display of disorder on Tuesday.
Damen Silos One Building Left Aug 19 2025
From students stepping over fentanyl addicts outside their college to migrants hustling at shelters and sheriffs pulling traffic stops in the Loop, the day unfolded like a running log of dysfunction.
Scanner traffic carried gun calls from the North Side to the far South, while on the streets property lay in ruins and landmarks came down under the wrecking ball.
The afternoon began with gridlock near Streeterville.
Cars boxed in, radios damaged by the prior day’s flooding, and the sense of being trapped carried into the first hours of the day’s reporting.
Across from the jam, a migrant shelter that once held hundreds had emptied, with groups now shifting to a 7-Eleven.
A deck of cards replaced cots; the crowd loitered outside convenience stores, some clearly working, some just marking time.
A man was bent in half on the pavement outside a city college, his upper body folded down toward his knees in what has become known as the fentanyl fold.
Fentanyl bender Harold Washington City College Lake Street appx 455 pm Aug 19 2025
Students, staff, downtown workers, and tourists were forced to see the destruction of another life in public view. It was 4:58 PM, a moment that showed the collision of two Chicagos: one trying to learn and move forward, the other drowning in addiction and neglect.
On the other side of the Loop it was no different.
At Harold Washington Library, staff reportedly made the rare move of calling police to remove drug dealers the other day.
Months earlier, AFSCME Local 1215 had already warned:
“Violent assaults, sexual assaults and harassment, drug use and mental health incidents are all on the rise…”
Staffing had been cut by more than 100 positions since 2020.
“I no longer really use the elevators… try not to be in spaces where I can’t escape readily…” said union VP Adrienne Seely.
When library employees themselves are calling police, it is documented proof of a downtown in collapse.
Across the street, the so-called construction at Ida B. Wells is little more than a fake worksite. Cutting up the sidewalk where homeless drug addicts sleep while the street has potholes.
At the Van Buren dope spot, regulars were by the CTA elevator, hanging out and chilling out, doing their thing.
Another routine scene, part of the downtown backdrop.
At Roosevelt and State, CPD patrols pushed people back toward the Jewel parking lot.
Once the squad cars left, psychosis broke out in the open.
Did you see the guy? He’s having a drug psychosis… That dude’s doing drugs. He might be the dealer… Don’t get fooled by old, young, white, Black, Hispanic, Asian — that dude might be the dealer …
South of there at 23rd and Halsted, tent signaled an open-air drug market. Buyers with cash waited for the product being cut in the open.
They’re dealing drugs over here.
See him with the money in his hand… he’s waiting to get the drugs.
That’s a drug deal you’re watching… the drugs are everywhere in our city.
These tent cities are not what you think… don’t be fooled… part of the ecosystem.
And it’s not just about the users.
We don’t have heroin … we don’t have cocaine… it comes from somewhere … it’s the homeless industrial complex… somebody makes and pays for the tents … people are making money.
Retail theft is routine. Parking lots become set-ups for robberies. All part of the looped-in economy of collapse.
Parked car destroyed 620 PM August 19th 2025 Archer and Throop
When a radio call reported an officer attacked at Montrose and Cicero, police immediately locked down the area. The cordon was tighter than what they do for a murder.
And then comes the question of will.
They built a migrant shelters overnight. $2.5 billion in Illinois just for migrants. Meanwhile the homeless Americans could not go into the migrant shelters.
The capacity exists — the will is selective.
By Tuesday night, breaking news underscored the collapse.
The Tribune confirmed that nine-year-old Elijah Flores had been ruled a homicide victim. Late in the morning on Aug. 10, a 22-year-old man traveling with Elijah got into a verbal altercation with two other men at the Clinton Green Line stop at 540 W. Lake St., according to police and the CTA.
The argument turned physical when one man struck the 22-year-old in the back with an unknown object, causing him and the boy to fall down the stairs.
Elijah never recovered. No arrests nine days later.
CTA offered condolences only.
Keep patching over the rot, or accept the ruin, clear the ground, and build something honest.
Stop listening to extortionist politicians milking us for more money when we already know the rust has eaten through the frame.
Until then, the destruction will keep writing its own story across streets, schools, and homes.
Residents can take control, because it’s not their city — it’s our city.
References
Live Feed Chicago economy crime and migrant update 430pm August 19th 2025 https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1B8SgjAU12/
Stop lifting jewelry at the Target 4728 West Irving
430PM Aug 19 2025 https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1957918063447404929
located a robbery vehicle Mozart and Ainsle 442PM Aug 19 2025 https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16pQCS5qwd/
Drug user right next to a city college where young people go 458 pm August 19th 2025 https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CGSEw6Qhm/
stolen car tracking lamon and Warwick 514PM Aug 19 2025 https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1957929178503999677
11-year-old thrown out student from Greeley school is reported to have a gun and trying to trespass 5:18 PM Aug 19 2025 https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1957930205927911783
8th District Tact Officers observed a vehicle with masked occupants while patrolling a known Latin King area. A plate check revealed the vehicle was stolen. Upon approach the vehicle reversed and struck 13 vehicles. The occupants fled, officers were able to recover these weapons. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19SbKX1JAk/
Using gas powered vehicles to deliver scooters and divvy bikes 520pm State and Van Buren August 19th 2025 downtown Chicago video https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1957931272732397920
robbery 68th and Langley 524 PM Aug 19 2025 https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1957931690715754819
over 50 shots heard 132nd and Langley 559 PM Aug 19 2025 https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1957940450309935217
need a perimeter set up by Montrose and Cicero battery to police officer looking for offender 6PM Aug 19 2025 https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1957940879118750062
Destruction .. in our city you can not own nothing without it being destroyed by others while the politician says give him more money 620 PM August 19th 2025 Archer and Throop video https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1957945866414878733
One more to go Damen in Silos 627PM Aug 19 2025 https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1957947543200919995
People surrounding armed security guard at 71st and Paxton family Dollar 632PM Aug 19, 2025 https://x.com/B82Scottie/status/1957949088403788241 Imagine being so in the ghetto the dollar store needs armed security. Wtf. 633PM Scottie Binyons
Hold up alarm 7-Eleven 6001 north western 643PM Aug 19, 2025 https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1957951625290711413
Downtown Dangerous Conditions … Chicago Public Library workers sound the alarm about unsafe working conditions Council 31 Staff May 9, 2025 https://afscme31.org/news/chicago-public-library-workers-sound-alarm-about-unsafe-working-conditions
Harold Washington librarians concerned for their safety with security incidents on the rise May 12, 2025 at 4:25 PM CDT
CTA Homicide … Elijah Flores, 9, dies following attack at Green Line train station in West Loop Chicago Tribune UPDATED: August 19, 2025 at 7:56 PM CDT https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/19/cta-chicago-police-nine-year-old-dead-west-loop-train-station/
