Plans for a large gathering at mall Saturday, Berwyn & North Riverside police warn, citing ‘credible intelligence’

Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune
Updated ·2 min read
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Police in neighboring suburbs Berwyn and North Riverside are warning of plans for a large gathering similar to the meetups in downtown Chicago last weekend that ended with violence.

Berwyn police chief Michael D. Cimaglia cited “credible intelligence” of a “large gathering” set for Saturday afternoon and evening at North Riverside Park Mall in a news release Wednesday.

“This gathering, much like what was reported on in the City of Chicago last weekend, has the potential for public disturbances and acts of violence,” Cimaglia wrote.

The police chief called on the Berwyn community to report any suspicious activity and be mindful of the possible meetup. The department is working with other authorities and is preparing preventive measures and response plans, he said.

“We will be working to swiftly disperse participants, and ask you to avoid this area if at all possible,” Cimaglia wrote. The police chief could not be immediately reached for further comment.

The North Riverside Police Department said the social media posts had called for a 4 p.m. meetup at Urban Air, an indoor adventure and trampoline park located at the mall.

“This media post is similar to the Millennium Park post from the incident in Chicago over the weekend,” the department wrote on Facebook.

North Riverside police are working with state and local authorities to be prepared to respond if any gatherings threaten mall-goers or businesses, the department’s post said.

The trampoline park did not immediately respond Wednesday afternoon to calls and emails from the Tribune. The social media pages of other nearby authorities, including the Village of Brookfield, also warned of the possible gathering.

The North Riverside mall was the site of a harrowing point-blank fatal shooting that occurred in late May 2020.

Chicago Ald. Brian Hopkins, 2nd Ward, told the Tribune Tuesday he had heard the organizers of the downtown Chicago meetup were planning another gathering for Saturday.