Congressional candidate caught in teen takeover

(The Center Square) – An Illinois candidate for Congress says a teen takeover arrived like a storm at a Chicago grocery store where she was shopping this week.

Christian Maxwell is the Republican nominee for the House seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Chicago.

Maxwell said there were a few teens and police units outside the Hyde Park Trader Joe’s when she entered the store with her four children Monday evening, but the dynamic quickly changed.

“I didn’t know initially, but it was because the full teen takeover had arrived kind of like a storm. It was that quick. It went from being a few kids to hundreds of kids at this location,” Maxwell told The Center Square.

Maxwell said there were adult men mixed in with the teens.

“They have on balaclavas or they have on masks like the COVID-19 mask. They’re in full black attire and they have bags as well. So these are not just children who are making some TikToks and having fun,” Maxwell said.

Maxwell said she was able to check out and exit the store. ...