Mark Rivera

Chicago

Reporter and Anchor at WLS-TV (Chicago, IL)

Anchor & Reporter @ABC7Chicago.🇵🇷🇩🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿News, black coffee, science, tech, politics. #ChicagoProud ✶✶✶✶ https://t.co/sOSSIU8nAy

Articles

ABC7 I-Team reporting into illegal gun trafficking through Chicago's O'Hare International Airport leads to congressional inquiry

1 week ago | abc7chicago.com | Mark Rivera

CHICAGO (WLS) -- An Illinois U.S. congressman has launched a formal inquiry following an ABC7 I-Team report on illegal weapons and gun parts entering the Chicago area allegedly from China through the O'Hare International Airport Postal Processing Center. In February, the I-Team reported on the concerning flow of ghost guns, gun parts, Glock switches and contraband coming into the Chicago area from companies in China.
Illinois lawmakers push for additional security funds for cultural, religious organizations after couple shot in Washington, DC

2 weeks ago | abc7chicago.com | Mark Rivera

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- State lawmakers are pushing for additional non-profit security grant program funding that has aided cultural and religious institutions across Illinois after the deadly Washington, D.C. attack that killed two Israeli embassy workers this week.
Washington, D.C. shooting: Alleged Israeli embassy staff shooter Elias Rodriguez flew from Chicago, checked gun, court docs say

2 weeks ago | abc7chicago.com | Mark Rivera

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The suspect in an alleged targeted antisemitic deadly shooting in the nation's capital flew with his alleged murder weapon out of O'Hare airport Wednesday, court documents show. Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago flew from O'Hare to Reagan National in Virginia. He declared his firearm in checked baggage on the Wednesday flight. He also bought a ticket three hours before it started to the Washington, D.C. event the couple he allegedly killed attended, according to the FBI.
New-generation drones: Experimental drones developed for Chicago-area law enforcement to neutralize mass shooters, disable weapons

3 weeks ago | abc7chicago.com | Mark Rivera

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Drones are fast becoming the must-have tool in policing. Now, the next generation is rising up in the Chicago area with drones that answer 911 calls on their own and an experimental drone system designed to stop would-be mass shooters, the ABC7 I-Team has learned. In suburban Oak Brook, the police department currently uses drones that are deployed and directed by humans.
'Eyes in the sky': Rise in drone use by Chicago-area law enforcement improving safety, surveillance

3 weeks ago | abc7chicago.com | Mark Rivera

ByMark Rivera and Barb Markoff, Christine Tressel, Tom Jones, Maggie Green and Adriana AguilarFriday, May 16, 2025 3:32AMCHICAGO (WLS) -- Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more commonly known as drones, are above and aloft now in many communities, and they're responding to crime in real time. Drone use by law enforcement is taking off in metro Chicago, and police tell the ABC7 I-Team the "eyes in the sky" are game changers in safety and surveillance.
Decision imminent in landmark US Department of Justice lawsuit over immigration enforcement in Chicago and across Illinois

3 weeks ago | abc7chicago.com | Mark Rivera

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A decision is imminent in a lawsuit over immigration enforcement in the state of Illinois that has major constitutional implications. A U.S. district court judge will soon decide whether a federal lawsuit filed against the state of Illinois, Cook County and the city of Chicago over local and state cooperation with immigration enforcement efforts will move forward, or be dismissed.
'Worst case scenario' funding cuts proposed for domestic violence, gun violence reduction programs

3 weeks ago | abc7chicago.com | Mark Rivera

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Dramatic funding cuts have been proposed to many domestic violence and gun violence reduction programs in Chicago and nationwide, the ABC7 I-Team has learned. The cuts are part of President Donald Trump's budget proposal making its way through Congress right now, including more than $1 billion in Department of Justice (DOJ) grants that play a large role in funding support for domestic violence survivors, and organizations focused on reducing gun crime.
Newly elected Chicago Pope Leo XIV accused of not acting quickly enough to address past cases of abuse by priests

4 weeks ago | abc7chicago.com | Mark Rivera

CHICAGO (WLS) -- While Chicago is celebrating the election of a new pope from the South Side, not everyone's cheering. Some are hoping this could be a moment when it comes to how the Catholic Church addresses child abuse by its priests. The Chicago-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) told the ABC7 Chicago I-Team that the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, or Cardinal Robert Prevost, didn't act quickly enough or transparently in response to local cases of child sex abuse by priests.
Price to power Chicago going up, as city leaders turn to new renewable energy sources, like solar from Swift Current Energy

1 month ago | abc7chicago.com | Mark Rivera

CHICAGO (WLS) -- On a swath of land nearly four hours southwest of Chicago is a massive project city leaders are banking on to bring down the price to power America's third largest city. Swift Current Energy says its nearly 4,000-acre solar farm, equipped with 1.6 million solar panels, is the largest solar park east of the Mississippi, and could be the solution to soaring energy costs for taxpayers. The ABC7 Chicago I-Team was given exclusive access to the massive solar farm this month.
ABC7 I-Team gets exclusive 1st look at Swift Current Energy's massive Illinois solar energy farm powering Chicago

1 month ago | abc7chicago.com | Mark Rivera

CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's an audacious effort by the city of Chicago to pay for hundreds of of megawatts of clean energy to offset power usage in the airports and every firehouse, police district, library and city-owned building. The I-Team tracked Chicago energy usage with an exclusive look inside the clean energy compound.

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Mark Rivera ABC7 @MarkRiveraABC7

23 Apr 25

ABC7 I-Team gets exclusive 1st look at massive Illinois solar farm powering Chicago https://t.co/Muwwcc75OO

Mark Rivera ABC7 @MarkRiveraABC7

11 Apr 25

Measles vaccination rates below immunity threshold in some Illinois schools, state data shows https://t.co/zAtWDTuyg3

Mark Rivera ABC7 @MarkRiveraABC7

29 Mar 25

Winnetka signs agreement to augment police force with private security https://t.co/LbRVtpbD62

Mark Rivera

Articles

ABC7 I-Team reporting into illegal gun trafficking through Chicago's O'Hare International Airport leads to congressional inquiry

Illinois lawmakers push for additional security funds for cultural, religious organizations after couple shot in Washington, DC

Washington, D.C. shooting: Alleged Israeli embassy staff shooter Elias Rodriguez flew from Chicago, checked gun, court docs say

New-generation drones: Experimental drones developed for Chicago-area law enforcement to neutralize mass shooters, disable weapons

'Eyes in the sky': Rise in drone use by Chicago-area law enforcement improving safety, surveillance

Decision imminent in landmark US Department of Justice lawsuit over immigration enforcement in Chicago and across Illinois

'Worst case scenario' funding cuts proposed for domestic violence, gun violence reduction programs

Newly elected Chicago Pope Leo XIV accused of not acting quickly enough to address past cases of abuse by priests

Price to power Chicago going up, as city leaders turn to new renewable energy sources, like solar from Swift Current Energy

ABC7 I-Team gets exclusive 1st look at Swift Current Energy's massive Illinois solar energy farm powering Chicago

Journalists covering the same region

Julia Rosier

Dave Hinton

Steven Spearie

Colin Feeney

Addi Weakley

Contact details

Emails

Socials & Sites

Coverage map

X (formerly Twitter)