File Photo – Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker | Photo: Colin Boyle/My Block, My Hood, My City.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has added Lake County and four other counties to his disaster proclamation, which will aid local governments handling protesting, looting and civil unrest.

Pritzker announced Wednesday afternoon that Lake, Peoria, Rock Island, Williamson and Stephenson counties were being added.

His original proclamation issued on Monday included Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Will, Champaign, Macon, Madison and Sangamon counties.

These 14 counties either represent a threat for looting or destruction through planned protests, are home to critical infrastructure, or they have requested state assistance, according to the governor’s office.

On Sunday, Pritzker activated 375 Illinois National Guard soldiers for state active duty to assist the Chicago Police Department in protecting the city and its residents. They are supporting the Illinois State Police and local authorities in enforcing street closures around the city.

An additional 250 soldiers were activated on Monday to join the state’s response efforts in various jurisdictions throughout the state.

On Tuesday, IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau announced ten of the 11 state-managed community-based testing sites would resume COVID-19 testing. Additional security has been brought in to replace personnel that had been reassigned due to the ongoing civil unrest.

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There were 50 businesses looted, dozens of calls of shots fired and 15 people arrested during looting and rioting in Waukegan that occurred Sunday night into Monday morning, police said.

What started as peaceful protests in Lake County on Sunday turned into looting and rioting during the evening and overnight hours in Waukegan and Beach Park.

Waukegan Police Department Cmdr. Joe Florip said that the majority of the police department were centered at Glen Flora Avenue and Lewis Avenue where there were violent rioters.

No police officers were injured; however, at least seven law enforcement vehicles were damaged — two Waukegan police cars and five Lake County sheriff squad cars.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said that they sent dozens of sheriff’s deputies to assist the Waukegan Police Department with hundreds of looters.

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Five Lake County Sheriff’s Office squad cars sustained significant damage from people who intentionally damaged the cars, the sheriff’s office said. Rioters threw rocks, bricks and bottles at police officers.

Waukegan police officers responded to over a dozen calls of shots fired during the night and one person showed up to an area hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg. They have since been treated and released.

Florip also said that some of the approximately 50 businesses that were broken into or damaged were looted multiple times.

The following 15 people were arrested:

  • Jessica Arroya, 24, of Grayslake, for looting by an individual
  • Victoria Bradley, 49, of Waukegan, for resisting a peace officer, driving on a suspended or revoked License, and fleeing and eluding
  • Jodaviess Brown, 34, of Waukegan, for burglary
  • Ernesto Flores, 21, who has no given address, for trespassing
  • Modestey Hyatte, 20, of Park City, for burglary
  • Jasmaine James, 28, who has no given address, for disorderly conduct
  • Davel Johnson, 28, of Waukegan, for burglary and looting
  • Julius Mathews, 18, of Waukegan, for looting by an individual
  • Destini Miller, 27, of Waukegan, for looting by an individual
  • Michael Moreino, 44, of Waukegan, for criminal trespass and resisting arrest
  • Dwight Pritchett, 46, of Zion, for criminal damage, criminal trespass to property, obstructing and resisting a peace officer
  • Xania Ruiz, 19, of Waukegan, for disorderly conduct
  • Melinda Urbine, 26, of Waukegan, for looting by an individual
  • Albert Wilson, 29, of Zion, for theft
  • Santiago Zapata, 21, of Waukegan, for disorderly conduct
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A 25-year-old Waukegan woman was also charged with looting by an individual, but her arrest is still pending, police said.

Police throughout Lake County continue to deploy additional officers each shift but so far there has been no mass looting or violence in the county since Monday.