Federal agents deploy tear gas during clash with residents during Halloween party in Old Irving Park; at least 3 in custody

CHICAGO (WGN) — At least three people were taken into custody after a confrontation between residents and federal agents Saturday morning on Chicago’s Northwest Side.

Witnesses told WGN-TV they were shaken up by what happened and are seeking answers to why federal agents approached a landscaper working in the neighborhood.

The incident took place in the Old Irving Park neighborhood, near North Kildare Avenue and West Waveland Avenue, during a Halloween block party for kids.

Video from the scene shows neighbors confronting the agents as tear gas fills the air and several people are pinned to the ground.

Witnesses say the agents were with Border Patrol, not U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement Sunday about the incident, saying “Border Patrol conducted an operation that resulted in the arrest of a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, who has previously been arrested for assault.”

According to McLaughlin, Border Patrol agents were “surrounded and boxed in by a group of agitators.”

The statement continues:

“Federal law enforcement issued multiple lawful commands and verbal warnings, all of which were ignored. During the operation, two U.S. citizens were arrested for assaulting and impeding a federal officer. To safely clear the area after multiple warnings and the crowd continuing to advance on them, Border Patrol had to deploy crowd control measures.

“Our officers are facing a 1000% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, abusers, and gang members. (DHS) Secretary (Kristi) Noem’s message to the rioters is clear: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Resident: ‘Nobody was being violent’

Brian Kolp, who lives nearby, said he was sitting on his couch with a cup of coffee when he heard loud noises outside. When he looked out the window, he saw agents arresting someone on his front lawn.

“I think I heard one of the whistles, that’s what caught my attention, and then they tackled him right in my front yard,” Kolp said.

“… They ended up taking at least two other people into custody, including my 70-year-old-ish neighbor who lives in that house there. He was just coming home from a run. They took him to the ground and ended up taking him away.”

According to Kolp, the confrontation began when agents approached a man working on a yard nearby. The man ran, but agents caught up with him a block away. Concerned neighbors began to gather outside, then tensions quickly escalated.

“It’s a Saturday, right, so a lot of people were home, came out to see what was going on, and the situation escalated from there,” Kolp said.

Kolp also said agents used chemical agents on the crowd, which he described as excessive.

“Nobody was being violent. No one had weapons,” Kolp said. “Although I wasn’t close to where they used the (tear) gas, I never heard them announce they were going to use it.

“It was an upsetting situation for a lot of people. There are kids on the block right now, there were kids on the block when it happened.”

Neighbors who declined to appear on camera described the incident as traumatizing. Kolp said while he’s shocked that it unfolded in his quiet neighborhood, he’s proud of the community’s response.

“As terrible as it is to see it happen, as regretful as I am that it happened on our block, I’m very proud of my neighbors for coming together and doing what we can to make clear that we are not going to tolerate this kind of behavior in our neighborhood,” Kolp said.