Fighter jets practicing for a routine flyover at Sunday’s Chicago Bears game caused alarm for many on Friday.
Four jets were spotted flying over the city just after 1 p.m., causing confusion and concern among residents.
Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications confirmed in a statement Friday afternoon that the city “has not received any actionable threats” related to the latest war between Israel and Hamas, and the fighter jets reported along the lakefront and over downtown were practicing for the flyover before the start of the Bears game against the Minnesota Vikings.
The flyover is still planned, weather permitting, according to Bears spokesman Scott Hagel.
The Air Force chose to practice the flyover Friday, though it’s not a requirement for groups that perform them at games, and practice runs are infrequent.
On X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, residents speculated the jets were related to the latest Gaza war.
“FIGHTER JETS DEPLOYED HEADED NORTH TOWARDS CHICAGO! Is something big about to happen on Hamas’s “Day of Jihad”?” X user @GiovanniKablami posted.
Others expressed fear about why the jets were flying.
“WHY DID FIGHTER JETS JUST FLY OVER CHICAGO IM SCARED,” X user @positionshannah wrote.
Some X users also reported spotting the jets over northwest Indiana.
