Chicago homeowner learned from viral video son threw party despite coronavirus

A Chicago homeowner said she discovered her 26-year-old son organized a house party despite citywide stay-at-home orders after footage of the Friday party went viral.

The footage prompted widespread condemnation, including from Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D), who called it “reckless and utterly unacceptable.”

I have seen the video which shows what appears to be a house party taking place inside a Chicago residence.

What was depicted on the video was reckless and utterly unacceptable.

— Mayor Lightfoot #StayHomeSaveLives (@chicagosmayor) April 26, 2020

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, told NBC Chicago she had been working a 24-hour shift as a first responder when the party took place, and said there was no evidence of the party when she arrived home.

“And after that, some police came to my house and said, ‘Were you aware that it was a party at your house?’ And I was like, ‘No, I wasn’t aware.’ And then they showed me the video,” the homeowner told NBC. She said she has been strictly adhering to social distancing due to the risks of her job, and has not seen her family in nearly two months.

“So if I’m doing social distancing, then I most definitely don’t condone this type of behavior,” she said.

Janeal Wright, the man who hosted the party, said he had invited 20 to 30 people in remembrance of some friends who recently died due to gun violence, saying the party grew beyond his control as attendance swelled to nearly 200.

“It really hasn’t been hitting home for us like that, but now I see the error of everything,” Wright told NBC. Police have issued a citation for disorderly conduct, according to NBC.

“The Chicago Department of Public Health will follow up with the owners of the property and attendees to ensure any health risks that could have arisen from this party are monitored and mitigated,” police said in a statement.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) imposed a stay-at-home order on March 21. The state overall has seen more than 48,000 cases of the virus and at least 2,125 deaths.