Almost a dozen Illinois youngsters had been slapped with felony costs after they allegedly used courting apps to lure and beat two grownup males over the summer time — reportedly as a part of a social media development, in line with police.
Among the 11 teenagers concerned — all boys aged 16 and 17 — had been impressed by a cryptic viral social media development, the Mount Prospect Police Division stated in an announcement on Thursday with out elaborating on particulars of the obvious development.
One of many victims, a 41-year-old man, reported to police that he’d been overwhelmed by “a group of teenagers” in a car parking zone on West Northwest Freeway in Mount Prospect, Illinois round 9:45 p.m. on July 8.
“The victim related that he had utilized an online dating app to arrange to meet a person at that location. After arriving, the victim related that he was approached by a group of teenage males, who confronted him verbally and battered him. Teenagers in the group also damaged the victim’s vehicle,” police stated.
Police didn’t specify what courting apps the group used to nab their would-be victims.
The youngsters allegedly tailed the 41-year-old when he tried to bolt to his automotive, however he managed to flee, the native division stated.
Cops responded to a report of the same battery a mere 10 minutes later.
The group’s second sufferer, a 23-year-old man, advised police that he was supposed to satisfy somebody he met on a courting app only a mile away from the situation of the primary assault when he was ganged up on and overwhelmed by the teenagers. One in all them even slashed one among his automotive tires, in line with the police report.
Even with one tire indisposed, the sufferer was capable of drive away. He couldn’t get very far with the slashed tire and stopped at a close-by residence to name 911, police stated.
Investigators used surveillance footage to trace down the teenage brutes.
“The Mount Prospect Police Detectives were able to locate video surveillance footage that captured the incident at 606 West Northwest Highway and were able to identify some of the offenders in the video,” police stated.
“An extensive investigation was conducted where 11 total juveniles were identified as taking part in one or both incidents.”
Every of the 11 teenagers was charged with one or two counts of aggravated battery, legal injury to property and mob motion, relying on their involvement within the assaults.
Detectives additionally stated that one of many teenagers used “a racial and another derogatory term” throughout one of many alleged incidents, tacking on two hate crime costs for that teen, in line with police.
Not one of the teenagers had been publically named by police as a result of they’re all minors. All of them turned themselves in final month and had been taken to Chicago’s Cook dinner County Juvenile Detention Heart.
Mount Prospect Police hope different teenagers study from the accused’s mistake.
“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 stated.
The fees had been authorized by the Cook dinner County State’s Legal professional’s Workplace, in line with the MPPD.