Federal agents conducted a raid at a home in the 2200 block of West Farragut Avenue in Lincoln Square on Thursday morning.
About 7 a.m., FBI agents assembled in front of a two-story home on the block with a search warrant. They used three flash-bang explosives, neighbors said.
“FBI-Chicago was engaged in court-authorized activity in that vicinity this morning. There is currently no known threat to public safety at this time,” an FBI spokesperson said in an email.
Neighbors said the FBI announced themselves on loudspeakers, saying: “Please come out!” Video footage shows the agents in camouflage gear, and there was an armored vehicle parked outside the home.
“The FBI, in conjunction with our office, conducted a court-authorized search of a residence on that block as part of a federal criminal investigation,” said Joseph Fitzpatrick, an assistant U.S. attorney, in an email.
One neighbor, who declined to be identified, was waking up when she heard a “boom” and the FBI commands.
“At first, I thought it was the radio,” she said. “Everyone was stunned.”
Another neighbor saw FBI agents carrying “lots” of boxes and bags out of the house.
The FBI shot through the home’s front window, but the neighbor did not see anyone get shot. Neighbors also saw a drone entering the house.
According to the neighbor, the granddaughter, who lived in the home, called out, “Don’t let them in or we’re going to jail.”
Another neighbor said the granddaughter stepped out of the home with a baby and got into an unmarked FBI vehicle.
The local police district “was not informed prior to the search being conducted,” said Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th) in a statement. “We are continuing to follow up and will share updates as we receive them.”
The family who lived in the house was “wonderful” and joined in on block parties, neighbors said. The family spanned generations: a grandmother, daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter and the granddaughter’s baby, neighbors said.
Neighbors said police activity on the street is rare, describing it as “quiet” and “family friendly.” One neighbor spent the morning wondering, “Why are there so many FBI agents?”
But by afternoon, the federal agents were no longer on the scene. Residents walked their dogs, and neighbors sat out on their lawns.
“It was hard to concentrate,” one neighbor said. “Our dogs were petrified.”
