Recent Robbery in River North Leaves 23-Year-Old Injured
A 23-year-old man was injured during a robbery early Wednesday morning in the River North neighborhood, according to Chicago police. CPD has recently issued two warnings about late-night robberies in the area.
Officers responded to a 3:30 a.m. call reporting two men armed with a knife chasing another man in the 500 block of North State. When officers arrived, they found the victim had been pushed to the ground and robbed of his phone and wallet.
According to a CPD statement, the attackers approached the victim on foot and assaulted him before taking his belongings. The victim sustained a laceration to his left arm, abrasions, and a busted lip. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in good condition.
A CPD surveillance officer reviewed surveillance footage and described the suspects as two Black males. One was heavy-set and wore a dark shirt, black shorts, and black shoes. The other wore a white shirt, light-colored pants, and white shoes.
No arrests have been made. Area Three detectives are investigating.
The attack on State Street comes amid a series of late-night robberies in River North that have prompted two community alerts from Chicago police in the past month.
In the latest alert, issued this week, CPD warned of a pattern in which groups of men have been approaching intoxicated bar patrons with friendly conversation before beating and robbing them.
According to the alert, the offenders have been targeting people near nightlife venues during overnight hours, often as bars and restaurants are closing. Police say the robbers “befriend intoxicated citizens and chat them up in a friendly manner” before turning violent and forcibly taking their belongings.
Four such robberies were reported between June 16 and July 6 on or near Wabash, Dearborn, and State streets. The suspects in these attacks are described as one to three Black males, ages 20 to 40.
The warning follows a separate alert issued last month after two people were violently robbed on West Kinzie Street around 2 a.m. on June 12. In those cases, three men reportedly assaulted victims in quick succession, with one victim saying the attackers initially posed as police officers. Those suspects were described as Black males in their 20s with dreadlocks, standing 5’10” to 6 feet tall and weighing about 175 to 185 pounds.
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