Two people suffered minor injuries in a disturbance involving large crowds of "kids" tonight at Ford City Mall on the Southwest Side.
A Chicago Lawn District police sergeant confirmed officers were called to the mall, 7601 S. Cicero Ave., where a “bunch of kids are running around.’’
“A rap group was playing there and a large group of teens got out of hand,’’ said Police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala.
Zala said officers are doing their best to control the disturbance.
“We’re trying to get everyone out of there safely,’’ Zala said.
By 6:25 p.m. two people had been taken to hospitals from the "fluid" situation, according to Chicago Fire Department Chief Joe Roccasalva, a department spokesman.
A CTA bus driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, said Roccasalva, who added he did not know what happened to him.
A “kid’’ was also hurt, and that person was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, also in good condition, said Roccasalva.
By 7 p.m. the Fire Department confirmed the one adult and one pediatric patient with minor injuries were the final tally.
At 4:45 p.m. police responded to a battery in progress report at the Cicero Avenue address, police said.
About 50 police squad cars assigned to multiple South Side districts, including Chicago Lawn, Englewood and Deering, and a helicopter responded to the scene, police said.
A spokeswoman for mall security said she was not authorized to talk about it.
According to the Ford City Mall website, members of the teen band Mindless Behavior appeared at the mall food court from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to promote their new release, "All Around the World."
During the disturbance the CTA had to reroute the No. 79 buses, which travel on 79th Street, as well as other buses in the immediate area.
rsobol@tribune.com
2 hurt in melee near Ford City Mall
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2 hurt in melee near Ford City Mall
