Men Using Dating App Battered By Group Of Teens: Mt Prospect PD

MOUNT PROSPECT, IL — Following two separate incidents in July, a group of 11 teenagers have been charged with aggravated battery, mob action and other crimes after they reportedly assaulted people using a dating app. Police said the arrests were made throughout last month.

At around 9:45 p.m. July 8, a 41-year-old man went to police to report he had been battered earlier in the night by a group of teenagers in the parking lot of a business in the 600 block of West Northwest Highway. The victim said he had used an online dating app to arrange to meet a person at that location, according to police. After arriving, the victim said that he was approached by a group of teenage boys, who confronted him verbally and battered him. Teenagers in the group also damaged the victim's vehicle. The victim fled in the vehicle and was eventually able to get away from the group, who followed him in their vehicles, police said.

At 9:54 p.m., police responded to the 400 block of See Gwun Avenue for a report of a battery. Upon arrival, officers spoke with a 23-year-oldman, who said he had been battered by a group of teenagers, who also damaged his vehicle. According to police, the victim said he had used an online dating app to arrange to meet a person in the 900 block of West Lincoln Street. After arriving, the victim was approached by a group of teenage males, who confronted him verbally and battered him.

Police said one of the teenagers slashed the tires on the victim's vehicle. The victim was able to get back to his vehicle and drove away, stopping his vehicle after realizing some of his tires had been slashed. The victim approached a home and asked them to call 911. The victim was taken from the scene by the Mount Prospect Fire Department to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Detectives were able to locate video surveillance footage that captured the incident in the 600 block of West Northwest Highway and were able to identify some of the people in the video. Police said an "extensive investigation was conducted" and 11 juveniles were identified as taking part in one or both incidents.

According to police, an investigation also found one of the teens had yelled a racial and another derogatory term during the incident, resulting in that juvenile being charged additionally with two counts of hate crime.

During the investigation, police said it was learned that some of the teenagers got the idea for the attacks through a viral social media trend they saw online.

"We are asking parents to take these incidents as an opportunity to talk with their teenage children about the seriousness of actively participating in these types of trends they see on social media," Police Chief Michael Eterno said.

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office approved the following charges:

• Juvenile No. 1 — Male, 17 years old, of Mount Prospect, 2 felony counts of aggravated battery, 2 felony counts of criminal damage to property, 2 felony counts of mob action, 2 felony counts of hate crime
• Juvenile No. 2 — Male, 17 years old, of Mount Prospect, 1 felony count of mob action, 1 felony count of criminal damage to property, 1 felony count of aggravated battery with great bodily harm
• Juvenile No. 3 — Male, 17 years old, of Mount Prospect, 2 felony counts of aggravated battery, 2 felony counts of criminal damage to property, 2 felony counts of mob action
• Juvenile No. 4 — Male, 17 years old, of Mount Prospect, 2 felony counts of criminal damage to property, 2 felony counts mob action, 2 felony counts of aggravated battery
• Juvenile No. 5 — Male, 17 years old, of Mount Prospect, 2 felony counts of criminal damage to property, 2 felony counts mob action, 2 felony counts of aggravated battery
• Juvenile No. 6 — Male, 17 years old, of Mount Prospect, 2 felony counts of aggravated battery, 2 felony counts of criminal damage to property, 2 felony counts of mob action
• Juvenile No. 7 — Male, 17 years old, of Mount Prospect, 1 felony count of aggravated battery with great bodily harm, 1 felony count of criminal damage to property, 1 felony count of mob action
• Juvenile No. 8 — Male, 17 years old, of Arlington Heights, 1 felony count of aggravated battery with great bodily harm, 1 felony count of criminal damage to property, 1 felony count of mob action
• Juvenile No. 9 — Male, 17 years old, of Mount Prospect, 1 felony count of criminal damage to property, 1 felony count of mob action, 1 felony count of aggravated Battery with great bodily harm
• Juvenile No. 10 — Male, 16 years old, of Arlington Heights, 2 felony counts of aggravated battery, 2 felony counts of criminal damage to property, 2 felony counts of mob action
• Juvenile No. 11 — Male, 17 years old, of Mount Prospect, 1 felony count of aggravated battery with great bodily harm, 1 felony count of criminal damage to property, 1 felony count of mob action