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VERIFY: Did Chicago students use National Walkout Day to vandalize a Walmart?

Are police investigating Chicago students using National Walkout Day to vandalize a Walmart?
Credit: Scott Olson
CHICAGO, IL - Students share thoughts about gun violence after walking out of their classes at Community Links High School in the city's violence-prone Little Village neighborhood on the city's Westside on March 14, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois.

QUESTION:

Are police investigating Chicago students using National Walkout Day to vandalize a Walmart?

ANSWER:

Yes, according to Chicago Police.

SOURCES:

Chicago Police Department- Officer Jennifer Bryk, Spokesperson

Walmart- Charles Crowson, Senior Manager Corporate Communications

Chicago Public Schools- Emily Bolton, Spokesperson

PROCESS:

Half a million people, including students from around the country, are expected to pour into the District this weekend for March for Our Lives.

Some people on social media are still stuck on last weeks' protests during National Student Walkout day. Online people are accusing students in Chicago for using the walkout as an opportunity to vandalize a nearby Walmart.

Viewer Claire Bode asked us to Verify.

Our researchers traced photos and video back to a Walmart shopper who captured the wreckage all on her phone.

The video, seen more than 900,000 times, shows mountains of stacked boxes of ramen exploded on the floor and two liter Hawaiian Punch containers gurgling on the ground.

Related Link: Warning Video contains explicit language

Our team of researchers checked with the Chicago Police Department and Walmart, to confirm it's legit.

Chicago Police are looking for around 60 students from Simeon Career Academy, a high school in the city's south side.

When students should have been participating in the school walkout to commemorate the victims of Parkland, they turned the corner, walked about 8 minutes and entered the Walmart at approximately 10:10 a.m.

"They did take items and fled and did damage to the store," Bryk said. "Detectives are doing an investigation."

Students snatched consumer goods like candy, chips and clothes, Bryk said. Walmart is aiding in the investigation.

"Were aware of the incident and disturbed by what happened," Charles Crowson, Walmart Senior Manager Corporate Communications said.

Our Verify team attempted to reach the school's head, Principal Sheldon T. House. House did not return our email or phone calls, but the school district did.

"We are very concerned by these allegations and we are reviewing the matter," Chicago Public Schools Spokesperson Emily Bolton said.

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