The bridges came down, but the lies stayed up … Chicago Collapses in Real Time: Teens Shot on Sidewalks, Cars Stolen in Front of Cops, Downtown Paralyzed for a Protest That Already Happened

Couch parts dumped outside the Clark & Lake McDonald’s — a known open-air drug zone, where users sleep, shoot up, and sell steps from one of the city’s busiest intersections. (Photo: John Kugler/SubX.News)

CHICAGO — On June 12, 2025, Chicago descended deeper into dysfunction, as residents across the South and West Sides endured another day of gunfire, brazen theft, and public drug use — while city officials blocked off downtown during rush hour for a protest that had already fizzled out.

SubX.News | Street Reports | 12 June 2025

In what has become a daily routine, bullets flew early and often.

The city teetered between farce and tragedy, with violent crime on the South and West Sides, public breakdowns in the transit system, and a city-sponsored stage show downtown for out-of-town activists and protest tourists. While teenagers were shot, cars were stolen in broad daylight, and addicts collapsed on sidewalks, Michigan Avenue was shut down not for security — but for spectacle.

At 1:50 p.m., a man was shot in the groin on the 5000 block of West Flournoy. Less than an hour later, a 35-year-old was shot in the foot on the 8700 block of South Commercial. By 4:55 p.m., a 17-year-old was critically wounded after being shot in both the torso and arm on North St. Louis. Around 5:30 p.m., a 29-year-old man was shot in the abdomen near 85th and Racine. Paramedics treated him at the scene, but before they could finish, the victim fled the ambulance and disappeared into the street.

By 8:28 p.m., another 17-year-old was found on a stairwell near 1100 South Austin with two gunshot wounds. He survived, but refused to give police any details.

None of these incidents resulted in an arrest. In one, police briefly staged a SWAT operation near 5954 West Roosevelt, only to cancel it minutes later with no public explanation.

But while neighborhoods were bleeding, downtown Chicago came to a standstill — not because of violence, but because of political theater.

By late afternoon, the event had transformed into what one bystander called “protest tourism” — a Loop-side performance for passersby and confused shoppers.

“You’ve got a bunch of tourists here — they might have a show today, maybe some protesters tear some shit up.”

As Michigan Avenue traffic ground to a halt, people gathered with phones in hand, ready to livestream civil unrest that never quite arrived.

Meanwhile, neighborhoods burned.

Salt trucks were being positioned across Michigan Avenue and other bridge access points, effectively shutting down the heart of the Loop during peak commuter hours.

City Hall justified the lockdown as a precaution against expected protests tied to aggressive ICE raids in Los Angeles earlier in the week.

Protests over federal immigration enforcement raids have increasingly emerged across the country in the last week. In Los Angeles, protests intensified last weekend after Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to the city without California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s authorization. Trump deployed another 2,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to the city Monday.

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Thursday directing Trump to return control of the National Guard to California. Then later in the day an Appeals court said Trump can keep California National Guard deployed for now.

Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday called on Chicagoans to “rise up in this moment” against Trump’s mass deportation effort, while acknowledging that Trump could deploy military members to Chicago like he did in Los Angeles.

Compared to the June 10 actions — where thousands shut down Lake Shore Drive and at least 17 arrests were made — Thursday’s gathering was modest. Still, downtown was gridlocked, with more than a dozen CTA bus routes forced into detours, and city workers and first responders tangled in preventable traffic chaos.

Police remained deployed downtown while crime flourished nearby.

At 7:22 p.m., a man had his Dodge Durango stolen near 328 South Wabash. A blue Dodge Charger acted as a trail vehicle. Minutes later, another vehicle was jacked out of a hotel parking lot at 11 West 26th Street.

“There’s a whole bunch of cops all around here… criminals could care less.”

A few blocks north, at Clark and Lake, couches were spotted lining the sidewalk — not for furniture sales or removal, but as seating for an active drug corner, where users and dealers moved freely, with no response from law enforcement or city services.

Further south, in the Ruble and Canalport corridor, the city’s tent encampments continued their expansion. Just before 8 p.m., new tents and tarps were seen being erected along the street. At 8:02 p.m., people were openly using drugs — some slumped over, others pacing erratically.

There was no patrol, no intervention, no outreach.

The area resembled a forgotten zone in a city that refuses to admit collapse.

While the mayor’s office says a summer plan is in place, there’s no evidence of it on the ground. Chicago spent Thursday shutting down its core for a political protest that was over by dinnertime.

Meanwhile, young men bled on sidewalks, drivers lost their vehicles in front of police, and addicts smoked fentanyl in downtown’s tourist district.

There were no city press briefings, no arrests, and no measurable response beyond barricades and theater.

The bridges came down, but the lies stayed up.

As city leadership continues to gaslight residents with promises of order, the streets of Chicago tell a different story — one of lawlessness, selective enforcement, and a summer spiraling out of control.

Summary of Key Incidents on June 12, 2025

5000 block of W. Flournoy (150pm) A 27-year-old male was shot in the groin and transported to an unknown hospital in unknown condition. No arrests were made.

8700 block of S. Commercial (229pm) A 35-year-old male was shot in the foot, transported to Trinity Hospital in good condition. No arrests.

2000 block of N. St. Louis (455pm) A 17-year-old male was shot in the torso and arm, transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition. No arrests.

8500 block of S. Racine (538pm) A 29-year-old male was shot in the abdomen, fled the ambulance during treatment. No arrests.

threatening to commit suicide (559PM) Damen blue line North Ave going out towards OHare woman took off her shoes threatening to jump on the tracks They just said they don’t have anybody working in that area black female is stealing the suicide ladies shoes

The regulars are shooting dice (658pm) at 69th Street Red Line from earlier not listening to CTA security to leave they need help clearing the mezzanine … Just got on a train and left

1100 block of S. Austin (828pm) A 17-year-old male was found on a stairwell with two gunshot wounds, transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital in good condition. The victim was uncooperative. No arrests.

5954 W. Roosevelt (850pm) A SWAT operation was staged for a person shot but was canceled shortly after, with no explanation provided.

328 South Wabash (722pm) A Dodge Durango was stolen, with a blue Dodge Charger acting as a trail vehicle. Police were nearby but did not intervene.

Drug Activity and Homeless Encampments

Clark and Lake (710 pm) Couches were observed on the sidewalk, used as seating for an active drug corner, with no police or city intervention despite hundreds of police in the loop for the protests.

Canalport Tent Camp expanding (758pm)

Ruble Tent Camp (802pm) open drug use observed

References

Chicago Economy, Crime, and Migrant Update – summary video (12 June 2025)
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14veL2sAST/

The regulars are shooting dice at 69th Street Red Line (12 Jun 2025) https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1933312896240635939

threatening to commit suicide (12 Jun 2025) Damen blue line North Ave going out towards OHare https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1933298113063661729

Salt trucks block bridges – Michigan Ave lockdown (12 June 2025)
https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1933315439196528690

Dope spot furniture scene – Clark and Lake (12 June 2025)
https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1933316666424791497

Auto theft Durango stolen 328 S Wabash (12 June 2025)
https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1933319115868975205

Car stolen from downtown lot cops idle (12 June 2025)
https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1933320435581551072

Auto Theft – hotel parking lot, 11 W. 26th (12 June 2025)
https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1933327828663128522

Tent City expands – Ruble & Canalport (12 June 2025)
https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1933328592441675866

Drug use in public – Ruble Street encampment (12 June 2025)
https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1933329924309373331

SWAT staging 5954 W. Roosevelt (12 June 2025)
https://x.com/SubxNews/status/1933344866630881530

Protest turnout and rally route – “Hundreds rally again in Chicago against Trump, ICE” (12 June 2025)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/06/12/hundreds-rally-again-in-chicago-against-trump-ice

Access closures and downtown disruption – Wirepoints report on ICE protest (12 June 2025)
https://wirepoints.org/hundreds-gather-for-anti-ice-rally-thursday-in-chicago-shutting-down-access-to-parts-of-downtown-chicago-sun-times/

Editorial: As protests heat up in Chicago, a plea to keep the demonstrations peaceful (12 June 2025)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/12/protests-chicago-los-angeles-immigration/

Attorney General Bonta, Governor Newsom Secure Court Order Blocking Unlawful Use of Federalized National Guard for Law Enforcement in California Communities (12 June 2025) https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/ECF%201%20-%20Complaint%20NG.pdf

Appeals court halts ruling forcing Trump to return CA Guard to Newsom’s control (12 June 2025) https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25974444/9th-circuit-stay-newsom-v-trump-06122025.pdf