Chicago pol says Walgreens should be charged with 'first-degree corporate abandonment' over closure over theft

By Fox News · Fox News

A Chicago alderman, incensed by the upcoming closure of a Walgreens store amid safety concerns, stated that the corporate retailer should be charged with "first-degree corporate abandonment." Ald. William Hall, along with several community members, held a news conference Monday to voice their anger over the company's decision to close the location in Chicago’s 6th Ward in the Chatham neighborhood. "Walgreens should be charged with first-degree corporate abandonment," Hall said. "It should be a crime, the way they're treating our elders. It should be a crime, the way they're treating our families." The store is slated to close on June 4. Fox News Digital has reached out to both Hall's office and Walgreens for further comment. DEMOCRAT DA IN HOT SEAT AFTER RETAIL THEFT SURGES IN MAJOR AMERICAN CITIES In a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times , the Chicago-area-based pharmacy store chain cited theft and violent incidents as the primary factors behind its decision to close the store on S. Cottage Grove Ave. "Despite a range of efforts, including previous operating adjustments, these ongoing safety challenges have made it increasingly difficult to maintain a secure environment for our team members and customers," the company said. "While this was not an easy decision, safety must remain our top priority." Walgreens confirmed that employees at the location will be eligible to transfer to other stores. CHICAGO RESIDENTS DEMAND ACTION, ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER MOB OF CHILDREN BRUTALLY BEATS MOTHER AND 9-YEAR-OLD SON Hall emphasized that the community isn't "begging" Walgreens to stay, but argued the company is in the wrong for leaving residents without a place to fill medical prescriptions. He warned that the closure would create a "medicine drought" for seniors and residents managing chronic health conditions . "We're not here to beg Walgreens to stay. We are saying that their decision is the wrong decision," Hall said. "In my opinion, it should be considered a first-degree cor…