Chicago Fire TV Series promotion photo from NBC. Via Twitter (One Chicago)

Chicago’s Summer of Joy officially ended with the Labor Day weekend, but the gangs continue to ply their trade with impunity and indifference to the police, innocent lives and the rule of law. Last week, in front of six Chicago Police squad cars, someone opened up on another group of people adjacent to the production set of the Chicago Fire TV show. Thankfully, no one was hit.

Yesterday, the production experienced another instance of gunfire on the Chicago Fire set.  This time, however, someone took a round to the head. The Chicago Fire cast and most of the show’s crew weren’t present for this latest bout of street gangs shooting it out among one another. They were more than a little reticent about returning to the location where they narrowly missed becoming errant round backstops.

Just a reminder — those Chicago Fire and Chicago PD actors aren’t real cops, firefighters and paramedics. The PD actors aren’t carrying real guns and probably aren’t even wearing real body armor which is hot and uncomfortable in Chicago’s hot and humid weather.

The production companies do have real cops working security on the sets, though. Last week’s gunfire broke out despite six CPD squad cars parked in front of the set.

Site of Chicago Fire film production. Screen capture by Boch via Google Maps.

Unlike TV car chases, real life Chicago PD officers are prohibited from pursuing suspect vehicles, so they didn’t go after anyone in the aftermath of either incident. This most recent shooting resulted in one of the vehicles involved speeding away from the scene with a 40-year-old male with a head wound.

From CWB Chicago . . .

For the second time in less than a week, shots were fired Monday afternoon across from a West Side funeral home where the Chicago Fire TV series has been filming. Unlike last week, no cast members were on set during Monday’s incident, a source said. And, also unlike last week, the bullets hit someone this time.

A Chicago police officer assigned to secure the movie set outside A.A. Rayner and Son’s Funeral Home, 5911 West Madison, radioed “shots fired at the Chicago Fire production scene” at 3:28 p.m. Monday. Officers found two bullet-riddled cars directly across the street from the funeral home on Madison Street.

Another vehicle sped away from the scene carrying the victim inside. A 40-year-old man inside the car was in critical condition at Loyola Hospital with a gunshot wound to the head, according to Chicago police.

Back at the shooting scene, cops found nine shell casings in the street outside of 5920 West Madison. No arrests have been made.

According to a film industry source, Chicago Fire was supposed to return to the funeral home for production on Monday, but the decision was made not to due to last week’s incident. According to the source, crew members went to the funeral home on Monday to remove equipment used to make buildings appear to be on fire for the TV show.

Last Wednesday, a gunman opened fire kitty-corner from where the hit NBC show was filming. No injuries were reported that time, but a film industry source said the “full cast” was on-scene, and three cameras were rolling when the gunfire broke out around 1:55 p.m.

A CPD spokesperson confirmed that a man “shot at a group of people standing in the 5900 block of West Madison” and fled in a dark SUV.

“It happened mid-take,” a film industry source said. “No one was injured on set, but a bullet did ricochet off some equipment.”

Six squad cars and not one pursued the shooter last week. This week, another shooting, one man hit and…no pursuit. Did we mention no arrests? Okay, no arrests.

Maybe instead of using that laughable “Summer of Joy” slogan (how did the “Summer of Love” work out for Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkin?) for the bloody summer in America’s largest open-air shooting range, Mayor Lori Lightfoot should have called it “Murderpalooza.” Or maybe the “Taste of Homicide Festival” where victims’ families sample delicious Emergency Room cafeteria food along with tasty fare from the food trucks parked at crime scenes.

By the way, Chicago stands at 524 homicides for the year as of this writing (thank you HeyJackass.com). That’s in addition to 2215 people shot and wounded, including the guy next to the Chicago Fire set yesterday.

Given the danger of filming in the Windy City, what other city might the two TV shows’ production crews use to film that could pass for Chicago?

40 COMMENTS

  1. I wish all of hollywood would film in chicago. Let them see and experience first hand the blue utopia they helped create and still support.

    • “Let them see and experience first hand the blue utopia they helped create and still support.”

      Hollywood wants realism, then they get realism, good and hard…

    • Hey, just think how real that scene will play on TV. Real gunfire by real gang bangers brought to you direct from The Streets of Chicago, new spin off series from Chicago Fire.

      You can send my royalty checks to P. O. Box 0001, Coldazz Alaska.

  2. Cue rich white person living in a nice neighborhood and grifting “community organizer” to remind us all how nice* Chicago is.

    *Niceness determined by a complex calculation of trust-fund art galleries and brown people serving vaguely ethnic foods at $50/plate restaurants.

  3. “Hey, watchu think of this pitch…let’s film some shows in Chicago to bring a sense of the real-life danger to people in the comfort of their homes.”

    “Sounds great! Let’s do a trio. One about cops, one about medical responders, and one about firefighters.”

    (High fives all around!!)

    ****
    (Later)

    “Oh noes! There’s real danger! That’s not fair! We’re only actors and shouldn’t be shot at!”

  4. To solve a problem, you must admit you have a problem. It seems the mayorette of that city has yet to admit she has a problem. So, no solution.

    I once tried to start a Deny- ers Anonyms chapter. That did not work out.
    No one believed they needed it

  5. “what other city might the two TV shows’ production crews use to film that could pass for Chicago?”

    I nominate Mogadishu.

    • Why overthink this? Minneapolis is just a short jaunt north up the freeway, and the freelance actors are nearly indistinguishable.

    • Studio backlot and CGI greenscreen all of the ChiTown backdrops.

      Heck, CGI all three series and just use the Talent [sic] for voices…deny Mini-Me’s corrupt, stinking pile of a city the income from the production companies.

    • There’s a 10 day waiting period on mortars, give it another week. Instead of useless cops standing around, maybe snipers would be more productive.

      • No waiting period on M240s and mortars. Instant delivery as soon as the money is counted and checked. They are good to go direct from a national guard amory near you. Maintained by trained staff with all the necessary specialized tools. Cleaned regularly after each use. For an additional fee, brand new, never used, direct from the factory merchandise. If buying a TOW, need a pickup truck as they are a bulky item and will not fit in a Honda Civic.

  6. Echoing the other day: Are you out of your freaking mind filming on 5900 w. Madison?!? Westside ain’t bestside…and it’s HOT today. Over 90° with high humidity. Near record. And an apartment building blew up nearby this morning…

  7. Chicago Fire already did an episode on that, so they should already be experts like most all Hollywood actors when it comes to guns….

  8. I know how to stop this…Chicago needs more gun control laws! That’ll surely end the gun violence. Why hasn’t anyone else thought of this sensible solution?

    Next, defund the police so we can hire more social workers to humanely deescalate violent situations. The young people involved in gangs are misunderstood and just need some love and understanding.

    C’mon now. Let’s get James Taylor to sing some songs. That will make things much better…

    • How about we just do a search for any living relatives of Mrs. O’leary, maybe one of them is a dairy farmer, might make an interesting episode for Chicago Fire.

  9. Chitcago is now Shootcago.

    They probably saw a sign that said Chicago Fire and thought that meant they should fire their gun(s).😂

  10. They are not allowed to chase criminals’ vehicles in an official police cruiser?? I have a solution: Equip the police squads with BAZOOKAS. Then they can blast the get-a-way vehicle as it drives directly from the area. Accurate placement will not put any other vehicles in real danger of collisions and the perp’s vehicle will be disabled (radically disabled).

  11. What does:
    2nd Degree Murder
    Robbery
    Kidnapping (a FEDERAL offense?)
    Arson
    Burglary
    Drug-Induced Homicide
    Aggravated Battery
    Aggravated DUI
    Intimidation
    Threatening a Public Official… ALL have in common? As of, Jan. 1, 2023, anyone arrested for any of those “crimes?” can no longer be detained or required to post bail under the new Illinois “SAFE-T ACT”.
    If you are a cop (or ANY normal citizen) in the state of Illinois get the fuck out now while you still can. This is a “Statewide” law, NOT just Chitcago, otherwise, good luck?

  12. Finally, a use for Alec Baldwin. Give him a prop gun and yell ‘cold gun’ to activate him and turn him lose on the gangs. He will not miss and this will be over very quickly.

  13. I very muuch doubtbthatvthey areindiferent to the police butm the fact is that the Police operare by the consent of the public or at least they dom in a democracy and cannot operate without public support and information. They cannot simply be everywhere and additional Officers make no difference in a country where firearms are so widely available both legally and illegally and it is legal for HIDDEN CARRY. They cannot search everybody and would not legally be allowed to anyway.
    In addition are you seriously telling us that the studios do not have their own SECURITY DETAILS?
    The fact is that NOTHING on gods Green Earth can stop this kind of incident and especially not in America any more than it can stop mass shootings and that includes the mass SCHOOL shootings. Unless somebody is prepared to PAY forn the best security available and the best IS bloody expensive and in numbers it will make little difference
    Anything you do as to prevention is merely another challenge to the determined deranged. Do not make the mistake of thinking the DERANGED lack intelligence.
    Have you any idea as to what GUN CRIME costs America every year? It’s over HALF the DEFENCE BUDGET. CHECK it out!

    • I very muuch doubtbthatvthey areindiferent to the police butm the fact is that the Police operare by the consent of the public or at least they dom in a democracy

      Translation??

      • Any translation would be immediately rendered pointless by: “… and may posterity forget that you were ever once our countrymen”.

  14. Only 9 shell cases were found? Times must be really tough when the GB’ers start picking up their brass and reloading! Or they’re obeying the low capacity magazine laws.
    Now the actors will finally get to experience crime and violence IRL, including blood (real not stage), the sounds of gunfire (undubbed), over penetration (not the sexy kind), innocent bystanders, chaos, fear, etc. that Chiraqians have to live with. I think we’ll soon see a new set at Universal Studios. Much safer for the important people.

  15. Shitcago a dump where people are disarmed and the criminals rule the town, courts, judges and prosecutors! What do you expect? Thousands are fleeing the city and state!

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