Thousands of people will flock downtown this week for the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Black Friday shopping and winter markets as the holiday season kicks into high gear, but what is the city doing to address safety concerns following a violent weekend?

The holidays officially kicked off in Chicago last Friday night at the city’s tree lighting ceremony, but just a few hours after the festivities and blocks away, someone shot into a crowd at a teen takeover on State Street. The shooting marked the start of what became a violent evening that sparked safety concerns as the season began.

While last weekend’s crime is still unsolved, this weekend will bring thousands of people downtown once again.

“I’ve continued to have conversations with my superintendent of police to make sure we’re deploying officers in strategic locations,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said Wednesday. “It’s my top priority of keeping people in the city safe. It’s what I think about  the moment I wake up and before I go to bed. And last weekend is not indicative of who we really are as a city.”

The Thanksgiving Parade kicks off on Thursday, and more people will head downtown Friday to shop and enjoy holiday markets.

The Office of Emergency Management and Communications said in a statement the public should “be aware of their surroundings” and “report suspicious activity – especially in large gatherings.”

“If you notice something suspicious, notify onsite security or call 9-1-1,” the office said in an alert.

Meanwhile, Johnson said his office and CPD have not been made aware of any plans surrounding teen takeovers this holiday week. If they do, they said they’ll have officers in place.

But Johnson also had a message for the community.

“We have to show up and ensure that we’re holding these young people accountable,” he said. “That’s why it’s going to take every single adult attached to a young person to hold that young person accountable.”

Chicago police issued the following “safety tips” for holiday activities and shopping this holiday weekend:

  • Keep your purse close to your body, preferably in front of you or under a jacket or coat.
  • Be aware of where your purse is when you go to restaurants or hotel lounges. Thieves prey on purses hung over the back of a chair or left on the floor.
  • If you carry a wallet, keep it in your front pants pocket or coat breast pocket.
  • Always be alert. Be mindful of those walking past you or bumping into you . These individuals may be pickpockets.
  • Do not leave packages or other valuables on the car seat where they can be seen. Lock them in the trunk.
  • Do not carry valuables in backpacks, which can easily be accessed in a crowded elevator, on an escalator or in a checkout line.
  • Keep an eye on credit cards and the paper trail they generate to avoid becoming the victim of identity theft. To reduce the risk, people should destroy extra copies of credit card receipts. It’s also best not to carry personal information in a wallet or purse. This includes a social security number, an old credit card, ATM receipts or seldom used credit cards.
  • Keep pertinent information, including credit card account numbers, banking information and social security numbers, in a secured but accessible place at home. That way, in the event that a credit card is lost or stolen, the information will be handy for reporting to authorities.
  • Use caution when making online purchases, especially when the vendor is an individual rather than a known retailer.