Residents in Lakeview and other North Side neighborhoods are calling for action against two men, Leon Jackson and Willie Wright, who have been accused of harassing and assaulting residents for years. An online petition has garnered over 3,500 signatures, demanding that elected officials, police, and prosecutors use available legal tools to detain the men and address public safety concerns.

Concerns Over Public Safety

The petition is addressed to local officials, including Alds. Bennett Lawson and Angela Clay, police Commander Amin Jessani, and Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke. Residents are frustrated with the lack of action taken against the men, despite numerous arrests and court appearances.

Mental health experts say that cases like Wright’s and Jackson’s expose gaps in Illinois’ behavioral health system, where individuals can cycle between hospitals, homelessness, jail, and the courts without receiving consistent treatment or long-term support.

A Longstanding Problem

Wright first drew attention in Andersonville nearly a decade ago, where women reported being followed, harassed, groped, and assaulted by him. In 2019, a judge ordered Wright to stay out of part of Andersonville after a series of arrests and complaints. However, concerns about Wright and Jackson have continued, with residents frequently sharing sightings and accounts of encounters in neighborhood Facebook groups.

Public court records show that Jackson has been arrested numerous times over the past several years on charges ranging from battery and assault to aggravated battery and aggravated assault. Wright’s most recent criminal case stemmed from a 2024 aggravated battery of a peace officer charge, for which he pleaded guilty in March 2025 and was sentenced to three years in prison.

Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.