As hundreds of young people congregated in the Loop last week, a 14-year-old was killed and eight other teens were wounded by gunfire, reigniting debate about how to handle such gatherings of teenagers in Chicago.

The meetups, known as “teen trends” or, when they go awry, “teen takeovers,” have sometimes led to violence and prompted questions about curfews, how to provide alternatives for teenagers and the role of parents.

The shooting was the latest of these kinds of gatherings to turn chaotic. In March, a 15-year-old was grazed by gunfire in Streeterville . The get-togethers aren’t unique to Chicago — they’ve also happened in San Antonio and Denver.

Most gatherings are peaceful, but race is often cited as a factor in the negative perception of the events, even before they turn violent

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