Tinley Park Man Accused of Pistol Whipping and Robbing Guest at Underage Drinking Party

OAK FOREST, IL -- An underage drinking party in Oak Forest apparently got out of hand when a 19-year-old man beat up and robbed a party guest, prosecutors said.

Christopher Frank-Cooke, of Tinley Park, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on charges of armed robbery and aggravated battery with a firearm. The gun charge is a Class X felony.

According to the charges, Frank-Cook was attending a party on March 18 in the 17100 block of Oleander Avenue, Oak Forest. The homeowners were not at home and the more than a dozen other guests were under 21. The party was hosted by the homeowners' son.

During the party, the prosecutor said that the homeowner’s son lost his wallet. The son’s bedroom had also been ransacked. When the purported victim left the party with his friends, Frank-Cooke allegedly ambushed the young man, pistol-whipping him with a silver handgun.

Frank-Cooke got the young man on his back and shoved a gun into his face, accusing him of tossing the host’s bedroom and stealing his wallet, the prosecutor said.

The young man pulled out his wallet and showed Frank-Cooke his money, saying it was all that he had brought with him to the party. The prosecutor said Frank-Cooke gathered up the young man’s money and took off.

Oak Forest police said the young man chased Frank-Cooke into the middle of the street where the two briefly fought. The young man ripped Frank-Cooke’s Marilyn Monroe t-shirt, a piece of which was later found with blood on it.

Frank-Cooke left the scene in a white vehicle. He was found the next day at a gas station in Markham, police said.

The prosecutor said the young man was able to provide Snapchat video from the party, allegedly showing Frank-Cooke shotgunning beer and wearing the Marilyn Monroe shirt.

The next door neighbor’s dog found the bloody, silver gun that Frank-Cooke allegedly used to pistol whip the young man in the yard adjacent to the party.

The young man identified Frank-Cooke as the person who allegedly robbed and beat him up. The prosecutor said the young man was treated for minor bleeding on the brain and had bruises on his face. He may also have a broken jaw.

Frank-Cooke’s attorney told the judge his client graduated from high school last year. He lives in Tinley Park with his mother. Reports show Frank-Cooke as attending Oak Forest High School in his freshman year.

Judge Felice set bail at $300,000 and electronic home monitoring should Frank-Cooke bond out. He was was also ordered to surrender his FOID card, conceal-carry permit and weapons to the Oak Forest Police Department.

Frank-Cooke is due back in court April 12 in Bridgeview.