CHICAGO — Helicopters spotted since Monday are part of a U.S. military training effort and residents should not be alarmed, the city's Office of Emergency Management and Training said in a statement.
The urban training is designed to better prepare military personnel for overseas deployments. Residents may experience "very short" street closures across the city through Thursday, according to an Office of Emergency Management spokeswoman.
On Facebook, several users reported seeing the helicopters near the downtown area and around Harrison Park. Social media speculation connected the helicopters to Barack Obama being in town, filming for the new movie Jupiter Ascending, and even a potential zombie apocalypse.
"I say....The Pilsen Zombies/hipsters have escaped," wrote one Facebook user on Monday.
