3 charged after throwing fireworks at squad cars: police

CHICAGO — Three 19-year-olds were arrested and charged after police said they threw fireworks at Chicago police squad cars.

Police said Jiovanni Araujo, Yair Cruz-Roman and Guillermo Mota Jr. were identified as the young men who tossed fireworks at police vehicles at Columbus and Wacker drives early Monday morning.

Witnesses said some of the attackers jumped onto the officers’ cars. When backup arrived, everyone dispersed.

The three face multiple charges including aggravated battery against a peace officer, aggravated assault against a peace officer and criminal damage of government property.

This is the second time a squad car was targeted this week — on Sunday, a police officer was injured while confronting a crowd in the city’s Portage Park neighborhood.

Cellphone video shows crowds causing disturbances in the Six Corners intersection of Irving Park Road, Milwaukee Avenue and North Cicero Avenue. In the video, people are seen climbing on a squad care while others kick and hit it.