Video of the West Loop attack spread quickly as police searched for two suspects.
CHICAGO, IL — A man was beaten and robbed at gunpoint in broad daylight in Chicago’s Fulton Market area, according to police, and community leaders said the attack has fueled fresh outrage over violent street crimes and how rarely suspects are identified.
The robbery, recorded on cellphone video and widely shared online, has become a flashpoint in a neighborhood known for busy restaurants, offices and constant foot traffic. Police said two suspects approached a 49-year-old man on Thursday afternoon, took his belongings and fled in an SUV. Local business leaders and residents said the video is alarming because it shows the crime happening openly, with people nearby, and because suspects in similar cases are often not caught.
Police said the attack happened at about 4:23 p.m. Thursday in the 200 block of North Peoria Street, near Lake Street, in the West Loop’s Fulton Market District. The victim was standing near the sidewalk when two male suspects approached him, police said. At least one suspect pulled a gun and demanded the man’s property, and the other suspect beat him, police said. Video from the scene shows the victim on the ground as one attacker points a gun while the other appears to strike him and grab items before both run back to a waiting vehicle. Police said the suspects drove away and that the victim declined medical services.
Chicago police said investigators are reviewing video and searching for the suspects, who were still at large as of Friday. The department said Area Three detectives are investigating. Police have not publicly identified the suspects or said what property was taken. The video’s spread online, however, quickly pushed the incident beyond a routine case report, drawing statements from local leaders and worried reactions from people who live and work in the West Loop. “I am furious, our community is furious. We’re not going to tolerate it,” Roger Romanelli, executive director of the Fulton Market Association, said in an interview with local media.
Romanelli said the boldness of the robbery is part of what has shaken the area. He said the victim appeared to be targeted at random, and he argued that the neighborhood needs more technology to help police identify offenders and track getaway vehicles. Romanelli said Fulton Market has been pushing for more than a year for so-called pod cameras and other public safety cameras, and he has called for roughly 20 cameras in the West Loop. In his view, the video underscored how much the neighborhood is relying on chance—someone in the right place pulling out a phone—to document crimes that unfold in seconds. “If we had a network of modern cameras, police cameras in Fulton Market, all the criminals will know that and that will keep the criminals away,” he said.
Other neighborhood voices described a mix of fear and frustration. Ashley Shannon, a manager at a dessert shop near the robbery location, said she was working inside when the crime happened and only learned later that it unfolded just outside the door. She said it was startling to realize how close it was to her workplace. A resident interviewed near the scene, Marcus Smith, said the most alarming part was not only the presence of a gun but also the timing. He said people tend to think of robberies as nighttime threats, but this one happened in the middle of the afternoon, as people walked nearby. The video, he said, made it feel like the suspects were not trying to hide.
While the incident sparked anger, some officials and community leaders stressed that police visibility in the area has increased in recent months. Julie Darling, president of the West Loop Community Organization, said the neighborhood has had a heavier police presence since last summer and that response times have improved. She said the area has long pushed for consistent patrols and that officers now respond more quickly when problems are reported. Still, Darling said, no police department can have an officer on every corner at all times, a reality that residents and businesses confront every time a high-profile video surfaces.
Ald. Walter Burnett, who represents the 27th Ward, said in a statement that he was grateful the victim was not seriously harmed and that city officials moved quickly after learning about the incident. Burnett said the 12th District was informed right away and that officers responded promptly. He said he spoke with the 12th District commander and was assured that police presence would increase in the area. Burnett added that officials were told the robbery appeared to be an isolated event. “While this situation is concerning, we have full confidence in the Chicago Police Department to continue monitoring the area and taking appropriate action,” Burnett said.
Even as residents react to single incidents, public safety debates in Chicago often pivot to broader numbers—what is rising, what is falling, and what those shifts mean on the street. Citywide, officials and independent analysts have pointed to declines in several major crime categories since last year, including robberies, though rates vary by neighborhood and the impact of violence can feel concentrated when it appears on a doorstep or in a viral clip. Chicago police data cited in local reporting showed robberies were down year-to-date in the 12th Police District compared with the same period in 2025. In that district, 29 robberies had been reported so far this year, compared with 69 over the same stretch last year.
Those figures have not eased concerns in Fulton Market, where restaurants and nightlife draw crowds and where workers often commute on foot, by bike, or through busy transit corridors. Business leaders say the neighborhood’s growth and popularity make safety problems more visible, not less. Several owners have added private security, according to local reports, arguing that businesses contribute significant tax revenue and expect reliable public safety infrastructure. The Fulton Market Association has framed the camera push as a way to support police investigations and deter opportunistic attacks, particularly those involving quick getaways.
The video also highlighted how street robberies can unfold in seconds and leave victims with few choices. Witnesses said the victim tried to shield himself as he lay on the ground. Police said at least one suspect displayed a firearm, and the attack included a beating. The victim declined medical attention, police said, and the investigation is now focused on identifying the suspects, tracing the SUV described by police, and mapping their route away from North Peoria Street. Detectives often rely on a patchwork of security systems—private cameras from businesses, traffic cameras, and eyewitness accounts—to build a timeline when suspects flee quickly.
Fulton Market leaders say they are trying to turn the anger into a coordinated plan with police. The Fulton Market Association has scheduled a community public safety meeting with Chicago police from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at 171 North Aberdeen Street, according to local reporting. Romanelli said the neighborhood wants practical steps that can be measured: better camera coverage, clearer coordination with police commanders, and a stronger ability to identify offenders after robberies that unfold in crowded areas. Some residents, meanwhile, said they want reassurance that the heightened police presence they have noticed will continue and that crimes captured on video will not fade without arrests.
As of Friday, police had not announced arrests or released suspect descriptions tied to the robbery. Investigators said they are continuing to review footage and follow leads, while local organizations plan to meet with police next week to discuss safety in the area. The next milestone is the Feb. 19 public safety meeting in the West Loop.
Author note: Last updated February 13, 2026.