Cops did little to investigate gun’s theft from station

Good morning, Chicago. ✶

🔎 Below: The Chicago Police Department fought to keep secret the details of its investigation into a handgun taken from a room full of cops in late 2023. In the end, no one was charged, and no officers were disciplined.

🗞️ Plus: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sets off echoes of Latin regimes, Black Maternal Health Week and more news you need to know.

📝 Keeping score: The Bulls fell to the Mavericks, 149-128; the Cubs bested the Pirates, 7-6; the White Sox beat the Royals, 6-5

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⏱️: An 8-minute read

TODAY’S WEATHER 🌥️

Mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms and a high near 77.

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TODAY’S TOP STORY 🔎

Cops did little to probe gun stolen from police station and used in three shootings

By Peter Nickeas, Casey Toner and Tom Schuba

Missing gun: When a valuable Glock handgun was stolen from inside a Gresham District police station in 2023, the Chicago Police Department did little to investigate, not even interviewing most of the officers who were there. That was even after the gun had been used in a series of shootings and then found near a teen caught trying to break into a car, police records show. It also was after a police supervisor told investigators he thought that another cop had taken it.

Case closed?: Investigators closed the case without figuring out who stole the gun, which had been turned in to police and was supposed to have been destroyed. After reporters asked how a gun could have been stolen from a police station full of cops, the department said it was reopening its investigation. Even then, investigators didn’t interview a single additional officer who was there when the weapon was swiped.

Release refused: The police department fought to keep this information secret, refusing to release case records — doing so only after the Illinois Answers Project took the city to court. In the end, no one was charged or disciplined.

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IMMIGRATION ✶

Trump’s deportation blitz evokes painful memories of Latin American ‘disappearances’

By Kade Heather

One woman’s story: In December 1979, Neris González was leaving the market in her farm town in central El Salvador when Salvadoran national guardsmen suddenly grabbed her and took her captive. González, who was in her late teens, was taken to a prison and was brutally tortured for two weeks before finally being released. It was the beginning of the Salvadoran civil war.

Familiar sights: More than 45 years later, González, who moved to Chicago in 1997, thought she had seen the last of militarized patrols snatching people off the streets. But then U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents launched Operation Midway Blitz last fall, which González said brought back painful memories. “I never imagined … that in a country called the United States and here in Chicago, there would be such an aggressive, violent, unaccountable and military migration response,” González, 70, said.

Past and present: President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign has eased up of late. But in Chicago, it has left a lasting impact on the city’s Latino neighborhoods, where some residents still fear going outside. For some, the events of the last year echo a dark chapter in Central and South American history, when tens of thousands of people were detained and disappeared

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HEALTH ❤️

Doulas work to bridge health disparities for Black mothers

By Cindy Hernandez

Black maternity: Black women are more than twice as likely as white women to die from pregnancy-related causes, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Black Illinoisans have the highest maternal mortality rate in the state, at 78 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Raising awareness: Saturday marked Global Black Doula Day and the start of Black Maternal Health Week, a campaign launched by Black Mamas Matter Alliance to drive activism and build community around the experiences of Black mothers, according to Ayesha Jaco, executive director of the nonprofit West Side United.

Vital role: “A doula is a gap filler,” doula Zetanefert Zipewtu said Saturday at a community baby shower held at the Garfield Park Fieldhouse to celebrate Black maternal health. “Our job is to ensure that expecting people have the information, emotional support and physical care they need to achieve their birth and postpartum goals.”

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MORE NEWS YOU NEED 🗞️

• Silver Room Block Party returns: After two years, the beloved dance music party is scheduled for July 18 at the Salt Shed.
• Trump criticizes pope: President Trump said he didn’t think Pope Leo XIV is “doing a very good job” and that “he’s a very liberal person,” while also suggesting the pontiff should “stop catering to the Radical Left.” Trump’s comments came after Leo suggested that a “delusion of omnipotence” is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran. Leo said Monday he doesn’t fear the Trump administration.
• Evanston pastor resigns: Cardinal Blase J. Cupich announced the resignation of Rev. Kenneth Anderson, pastor of Evanston’s St. John Henry Newman Parish, after church officials found Anderson used “substantial” parish funds for personal expenses.
• Abbott Laboratories suit: A Cook County jury has awarded $70 million to four families in their lawsuit against the company, finding Abbott’s infant formula based on cow’s milk contributed to a life-threatening condition in premature infants.
• CHA sued: Housing advocates filed a lawsuit Thursday contesting the Chicago Housing Authority’s decision to appoint a new CEO last month, claiming the CHA board failed to properly notify the public about the vote.
• Philz Coffee removes Pride flags: The decision has sparked outrage from some employees and customers, who say the LGBTQ+ community is intrinsically linked to the coffeehouse’s branding.
• Merritt advances: Kenya Merritt’s appointment to be Chicago’s next cultural commissioner advanced out of a City Council committee Thursday, but a whistleblower lawsuit an ex-top deputy filed against Merritt and the city dominated much of the hours-long questioning.

ON WBEZ 91.5 FM 📻

In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 9 a.m.

• Black Maternal Health Week: Black mothers die at higher rates than other women. More doulas are stepping in to help. Guests Michelle Adeniyi and Nikena Hannah of March of Dimes, and Dr. Carmen Adams and Raeshanda Payne of Cook County Health, will discuss.
• Dancehall, reggaeton histories: A new exhibition coming to the Museum of Contemporary Art features works by more than 40 artists inspired by dancehall and reggaeton, which have also influenced culture and politics. Guests Ionit Behar and Nolan Jimbo of the MCA share more.

Say More with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith, 10 a.m.

• Cycling season: Warm weather means it’s cycling season. From tires and tune ups to trails, paths, and maintenance, guests Chris Willard of Small Shop Cycles & Service and Michael Wiggins Sr. of The Major Taylor Cycling Club share road-worn tips.

FROM THE PRESS BOX 🏀🏒

• Two teams, two timelines: With Angel Reese, the Dream see a key piece of a championship run. The Sky saw a player who no longer fit their future.
• Offseason moves: The Sky traded Ariel Atkins for Rickea Jackson.
• Isaac Okoro’s future: The Bulls forward has another year left on his contract, but he has been around long enough to know that doesn’t mean much.
• Hawks look forward: The Blackhawks are hoping every young player’s individual improvement will add up to teamwide betterment next season.

CHICAGO MINI CROSSWORD 🌭

PLAY NOW

BRIGHT ONE 🔆

Knitting and crocheting devotees swarm YarnCon for threads and thrills

By Erica Thompson

Thirty minutes after YarnCon kicked off Saturday, the fiber fair was already buzzing with chaotic energy.

Crowds were spilling into booths full of sweaters, shawls, spindles and needles. Makers were happily spinning and weaving. And people were squeezing — and sometimes smelling — yarn. Lots and lots of colorful yarn.

More than 2,000 people were expected to visit YarnCon this weekend.

The annual fair launched in 2007 to support local, independent fiber producers who couldn’t afford to participate in major craft shows. After a small start at the Pulaski Fieldhouse, the event has grown to feature more than 60 vendors from Illinois and throughout the U.S.

In contrast to the frenzied environment at the fair, the act of knitting or crocheting has a calming effect for hobbyists. YarnCon attendees reported benefits to their mental health, praising the activity for helping them build community, learn a skill and find an alternative to the fast-fashion craze.

“I don’t need it,” said Kimberly Carlos, of Dyer, Indiana, a self-proclaimed “fiber enthusiast” who stood in line for hours to get into the free event at Plumbers Hall in the West Loop. “Most of us don’t need it. But it’s kind of like my relaxation. Yarn is my therapy.”

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