2025 Chicago Air and Water Show: Residents of East Lakeview condo buildings say windows shattered during Thunderbirds practice
Share this @internewscast.com

CHICAGO (WLS) — Residents of the North Side reported that windows in several condo buildings were broken Friday morning during the Air and Water show rehearsals.

They mentioned that the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds jets flew low over the lakefront, and a loud noise coincided with the glass breaking.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

According to Chicago police, a 311 report was filed around 10:20 a.m. about four lobby windows shattering in a residential building along the 3100-block of North DuSable Lake Shore Drive in East Lakeview.

The high-rise building had to deal with a significant cleanup effort, with shards of glass littering the lobby after a flyover appeared to shake the structure.

“You felt it. I actually felt it in my body,” resident James Baran said.

Baran, a board member of a condo building, was in his unit at 3180 North DuSable Lake Shore Drive during the Thunderbirds’ rehearsals for the upcoming Air and Water Show.

“Out of nowhere, just boom!” Baran said. “And the glass actually flexed right next to my face. I was about a foot from the window.”

The upper-floor windows are made of safety glass, but down in the lobby, three-plate glass windows had shattered.

“It was a group of white jets flying by, and one split off and flew right over our building,” resident Steven Cosgrove recalled. “Right after that, I heard a massive kaboom.”

People downstairs were shaken, but thankfully no one was hurt.

“I would say the pilot probably goosed the throttle a little more than he should have and went supersonic briefly,” Cosgrove said.

RELATED | Chicago Air & Water Show 2025 lineup includes US Air Force Thunderbirds, Army Golden Knights

About a mile north, there was a similar story at a building near Lake Shore and Irving Park.

An email sent to residents said windows were broken twice, once in the morning and again mid-afternoon.

It happened around the time the Thunderbirds took to the skies again along the lakefront.

The management at both high-rises have contacted police and the local alderman.

Damage at both buildings is estimated in the tens of thousands of dollars.

An Air Force spokesperson shared the following statement with ABC7:
“On Aug. 15, the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, known as the Thunderbirds, conducted their standard practice demonstration in advance of the airshow. A thorough review of the practice determined the Thunderbird jets did not go supersonic at any point during the demonstration.”

A message left by ABC7 for the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events was not returned.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was not involved in the incident.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Driver carjacked in West Village by machete-wielding muggers

Driver Victimized by Machete-Wielding Assailants in West Village Carjacking

A man, aged 27, experienced a terrifying carjacking in downtown Manhattan when…
Sex trafficking has to be confronted

Urgent Action Required: Addressing the Crisis of Human Trafficking

Parents naturally want to ensure the safety of their children. However, an…
Knicks HC Mike Brown says benching Josh Hart was a mistake: ‘I was wrong’

Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown Admits Error in Benching Josh Hart: ‘I Was Wrong’

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown admitted to an error in…
Maduro brandishes sword at rally as he rails against 'imperialist aggression' amid rising tensions with US

Maduro’s Fiery Rally: Sword-Wielding Protest Against U.S. ‘Imperialist Aggression

Earlier this week in Caracas, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro delivered a bold…
Police: Pro-Palestinian Protesters Storm NYC Retail Store on Black Friday

Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Rally Inside NYC Store Amid Black Friday Chaos

In a dramatic turn of events on Black Friday, at least four…
Russia outlaws Human Rights Watch as crackdown on dissent continues

Russia Bans Human Rights Watch: Escalating Clampdown on Free Speech and Dissent

On Friday, Russian authorities declared Human Rights Watch as an “undesirable organization.”…
Sophisticated porch pirate ring hacked shipment tracking info to steal hundreds of phones, prosecutor says

Tech-Savvy Thieves Exploit Tracking Data to Snatch Hundreds of Phones, Authorities Reveal

Prosecutors in New York have dismantled an intricate porch piracy network, wherein…
New White House Media Bias Website Just Turned On the Floodlights

White House Launches Comprehensive Media Bias Website to Illuminate News Reporting

President Donald Trump, at his core, remains a marketing strategist. His sharp…
Giants and Patriots remain as intertwined as ever going into ‘Monday Night Football’

Giants vs. Patriots: A Historic Rivalry Takes Center Stage on Monday Night Football

Few sports rivalries are as deeply connected as that between the Giants…
Chicago Public Schools policy allows unlimited absences for illegal alien children amid ICE operations

Chicago Public Schools Introduces Flexible Absence Policy for Undocumented Students During ICE Activities

EXCLUSIVE ON FOX: Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have implemented a policy granting…
Pope Leo joins Eastern and Western patriarchs in Turkey to pray for Christian unity

Pope Leo Unites with Eastern and Western Church Leaders in Turkey for Historic Prayer Gathering

Pope Leo XIV joined Eastern and Western patriarchs and priests on Friday…
President Donald Trump says he's terminating all orders Joe Biden signed with autopen

President Donald Trump Announces Plans to Revoke All Autopen-Signed Orders by Joe Biden

In a bold proclamation from the nation’s capital, former President Donald Trump…