Police say two incidents unfolded blocks from Millennium Park on a crowded Friday night.
CHICAGO — At least six people were wounded in two shootings late Friday in the Loop, including one victim in critical condition, after the city’s official Christmas tree lighting drew thousands to downtown. The first burst of gunfire was reported near State and Randolph streets around 9:50 p.m., followed by a second shooting roughly 30 minutes later near Adams and Dearborn, according to police.
Authorities said the violence broke out as holiday crowds were leaving Millennium Park and Daley Plaza, where the tree lighting and the opening night of Christkindlmarket had packed sidewalks and transit stops. The Chicago Police Department said detectives were interviewing witnesses and reviewing video early Saturday. Ald. Brian Hopkins said several officers were injured during confrontations with groups of youths and that one officer was hospitalized. The department did not immediately confirm the full number of injuries among officers. Police said no arrests had been announced as of early Saturday.
Shortly before 10 p.m., officers responded to reports of shots fired at State and Randolph, just outside the Chicago Theatre. Witnesses described a stampede as people ducked into storefronts and doorways. “I just heard a ping, and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is real,’” said Moe Akl, who was leaving a show nearby. Linda Dixon, who was walking with friends, said they watched police sprint toward the intersection as crowds scattered. About a half-hour later, a second shooting was reported near Adams and Dearborn, less than a half-mile away, drawing another wave of squad cars and ambulances as streets were blocked and trains were briefly delayed.
Police spokesperson Tom Ahern said at least six people were shot across the two scenes. Officials said one victim suffered a life-threatening wound to the torso; conditions for the others ranged from fair to serious, according to preliminary hospital reports shared with city officials. Hopkins said officers encountered a crowd of an estimated few hundred youths moving through the Loop and alleged that some in the group attacked police with mace and stun guns; the department said it was working to verify those accounts. Investigators said they recovered shell casings at both locations and were canvassing for surveillance footage from nearby businesses, including the Chicago Theatre and storefronts along State Street. The identities and ages of the victims were not immediately released.
The violence interrupted a hallmark kickoff to Chicago’s holiday season. Earlier Friday evening, Mayor Brandon Johnson joined families in Millennium Park to count down the lighting of the 2025 city tree, and Daley Plaza hosted the first night of Christkindlmarket. Large holiday gatherings have drawn heavy police presence in recent years after sporadic disturbances downtown, including a shooting outside the Macy’s on State Street on Nov. 23, 2024, that wounded a woman during the market’s opening weekend. Businesses along State Street typically extend hours on tree-lighting night, and the Loop sees a surge of riders on CTA buses and trains to and from the park and plaza.
Police said detectives from Area Three were leading the investigation and coordinating with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. The department said it would release a timeline of the incidents after reviewing body-worn camera footage and private security video. No suspects were in custody as of early Saturday, and authorities did not immediately say whether the two shootings were connected. City officials said additional patrols were assigned downtown through the weekend, and the Office of Emergency Management and Communications planned to brief aldermen on Saturday afternoon. If arrests are made, initial court appearances would likely occur Monday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.
As midnight approached, blue lights flooded State Street while officers strung crime-scene tape from lamp poles and storefronts. Tourists in winter coats wheeled suitcases around barricades; restaurant workers peered from doorways as detectives photographed shell casings on the pavement. “It was supposed to be a fun night for the kids to see the tree,” said neighbor Carol Jennings, who watched from her apartment window above Randolph. “Then the sirens took over.” A CTA train screeched into Lake station while police guided pedestrians away from the corner and business owners swept broken glass into piles just beyond the tape.
Police said the investigation was ongoing early Saturday, with updates expected later in the day once victim conditions and the number of injured officers are confirmed. Detectives planned to provide a preliminary summary and any suspect information after reviewing overnight evidence.
Author note: Last updated November 22, 2025.