Police officers in Chicago are working to identify dozens of students from a local school seen trashing a Walmart during a walkout on Wednesday, which saw thousands of students nationwide walking out of schools at a certain time to advocate for gun control.
The students all attend Simeon Career Academy, according to an initial investigation.
Officers said that students were permitted by administrators to leave the school for 17 minutes for the walkout.
Police said that the students knocked over product displays, yanked items off of shelves, broke packages, and stole some items such as chips and candy.
“High quality” video surveillance from inside the store is being used by officers to help identify the students, who will likely be charged with misdemeanors and possible additional discipline from the school.
Wal-Mart has not commented on the incident.
Administrators at the public school have not commented on the situation.
A spokesperson for Chicago Public Schools said in a statement, “We are very concerned by these allegations and we are reviewing the matter.”
21st Ward Alderman Howard Brookins, who helped get Wal-Mart to open a store in the neighborhood, condemned the trashing of the store.
“We’ve worked too hard to try to get these national retailers here in our community. And this doesn’t help us. It makes no sense to tear up the community which you call home,” he said.
