New information about one of the suspects in a burglary and fatal crash on the Mag Mile has sparked criticism of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and his approach to crime in Chicago, as President Trump continues to discuss sending National Guard forces into the city.
Chicago police say burglars smashed their way into the Louis Vuitton store, 919 N. Michigan Avenue, on September 11 and sped off with hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise.
One of the getaway cars crashed into an SUV, killing a man one day before he was set to go on paternity leave.
The website CWB Chicago now reports that one of the suspects appeared in a photo with Governor Pritzker during an appearance with violence interruptors in Englewood a week before the burglary and crash.
Illinois Republican Party chair Kathy Salvi noted that the suspect had four outstanding warrants in other states, and suggested that his case is an indication that the bail reform law championed by Gov. Pritzker and Democrats in Illinois is a failure.
"This makes Governor Pritzker either complicit ... he's playing us ... but surely it's my opinion that he's an enabler-in-chief and that the Safe-T Act has failed," Salvi told WBBM Newsradio.
The governor's office issued a statement that in part says they're extremely troubled by reports of the suspect's arrest, expects him to be held accountable, and expresses continued support for violence interruptor programs, which he says have led to a 41% reduction in shootings in areas where they're active.
Salvi dismisses them as "feel-good" schemes that are less effective than giving more resources to sworn police officers.