Delusional Democratic lawmaker calls for charges against Walgreens for closing due to rampant crime wave in city
A Chicago lawmaker has called for criminal charges against the Walgreens pharmacy chain after it closed another location due to rampant crime.
Councilor William Hall made the announcement after the Chatham store on Cottage Grove Ave said they will permanently close their doors on June 4, 2026.
The store experienced “significantly higher levels of theft and violent incidents” than other nearby locations, leading to its closure, a Walgreens spokesperson told Block Club Chicago.
“Despite a range of efforts, including previous operational adjustments, these ongoing safety challenges have made it increasingly difficult to maintain a safe environment for our team members and customers.”
The spokesperson added that despite this difficult decision, safety is the company’s top priority.
Residents and local lawmakers have gathered to protest the closure, warning it will worsen what they describe as a growing pharmacy desert as several nearby Walgreens locations close.
“Walgreens should be charged for abandoning businesses in the first place,” Councilman Hall said, according to the newspaper.
“It should be a crime the way they treat our elderly [and] our families,” he added.
A Chicago lawmaker is calling for charges against pharmaceutical giant Walgreens after it closed another location due to rampant crime
Residents and local lawmakers have gathered to protest the closure
The Chatham store at 8628 S Cottage Grove Ave will close its doors for good on June 4
Hall was joined by Chatham residents in the parking lot of the South Side store, who held signs outside the pharmacy that read “Senior Lives Matter” and chanted “do right by us.”
More than two years ago, the drugstore’s opening hours were reduced from 24-hour service to closing at midnight.
A Walgreens spokesperson said the change was due to an “operational decision,” but did not provide additional details, according to the outlet.
Five Walgreens on the South Side closed permanently last year, and another three in the past 18 months, the outlet reported.
‘[Walgreens] left nothing behind but abandoned buildings and broken down centers,” Hall said, referring to areas on the south side of Chicago.
The councilor added that theft is a widespread problem and that the pharmaceutical giant has found ways to stay open despite rampant crime.
He pointed to a renovated store where most merchandise is stored behind glass and can only be accessed with the help of employees.
Hall was joined by Chatham residents in the parking lot of the South Side store
William E Hall, Alderman, 6th Ward, City of Chicago
Chatham resident Latonya Mitchell told the store it’s a “shame” the local drugstore is closing.
She said it won’t be able to meet the needs of the community, noting that she often relied on it for “quick things.”
“They are leaving this community destitute,” Mitchell told the newspaper.
“It’s drying up and it’s a desert again,” she added.