Bears Host Highland Park Football Team During First Week of Training Camp

Chicago brought big smiles and excitement to players on the high school football team.

Editor’s note: This story contains details of a mass casualty event and gun violence.

The Bears had a special group of people on hand for their first day of training camp at PNC Center in Lake Forest, Ill.

Chicago invited the Highland Park High School’s football team to the Bears’ first practice on Wednesday, and players on the team smiled for pictures with Bears quarterback Justin Fields and defensive back Jaylon Johnso. The happy moments come more than three weeks after a mass shooting that took place during a July 4 parade in Highland, Park, Ill., nearly 25 miles north of Chicago.

Great to have the Highland Park football team out for practice today 💙 pic.twitter.com/IrZTAZLzh5

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 27, 2022

At least six people were killed and two dozen were transported to the hospital with injuries after a gunman opened fire on spectators at the parade from a nearby roof around 10 a.m. CT, according to CNN. The suspect initially fled the scene before authorities arrived and took the gunman into custody.

Aside from inviting the city’s high school team to its practice, Chicago and the NFL donated $160,000 to the Highland Park Community Fund, which benefits victims and families that were affected by the recent shooting.

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