Illinois
11 Illinois teens charged after using dating apps to allegedly lure and beat men as part of a social media trend
Nearly a dozen Illinois teenagers were slapped with felony charges after they allegedly used dating apps to lure and beat two adult men over the summer — reportedly as part of a social media trend, according to police.
Some of the 11 teens involved — all boys aged 16 and 17 — were inspired by a cryptic viral social media trend, the Mount Prospect Police Department said in a statement on Thursday without elaborating on details of the apparent trend.
One of the victims, a 41-year-old man, reported to police that he’d been beaten by “a group of teenagers” in a parking lot on West Northwest Highway in Mount Prospect, Illinois around 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 said.
Police did not specify what dating apps the group used to nab their would-be victims.
The teenagers allegedly tailed the 41-year-old when he tried to bolt to his car, but he managed to escape, the local department said.
Cops responded to a report of a similar battery a mere 10 minutes later.
The group’s second victim, a 23-year-old man, told police that he was supposed to meet someone he met on a dating app just a mile away from the location of the first assault when he was ganged up on and beaten by the teens. One of them even slashed one of his car tires, according to the police report.
Even with one tire indisposed, the victim was able to drive away. He couldn’t get very far with the slashed tire and stopped at a nearby residence to call 911, police said.
Investigators used surveillance footage to track 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 said.
“An extensive investigation was conducted where 11 total juveniles were identified as taking part in one or both incidents.”
Each of the 11 teens was charged with one or two counts of aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and mob action, depending on their involvement in the attacks.
Detectives also said that one of the teens used “a racial and another derogatory term” during one of the alleged incidents, tacking on two hate crime charges for that teen, according to police.
None of the teens were publically named by police because they are all minors. They all turned themselves in last month and were taken to Chicago’s Cook County Juvenile Detention Center.
Mount Prospect Police hope other teens learn 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 said.
The charges were approved by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, according to the MPPD.
Illinois
Bears release statement as Illinois legislators take major step toward stadium bill
The Chicago Bears released a statement on Wednesday after Illinois legislators took a step forward with keeping the team in the state.
Shortly after the bill passed out of a House committee 15-5 and then was passed again by the full House, the Bears said the bill is not enough for them.
“We welcome the progress made on the House’s version of the mega project bill; however, additional amendments are necessary to make the Arlington Heights site feasible for our stadium project. We support Illinois leaders as they determine the path forward to making the essential changes to the mega project bill and aligning on infrastructure funding,” the team said in a statement.
The vote on Wednesday came after lawmakers spent weeks working to address concerns and criticism that the bill provided incentives to the team to leave Chicago and surrounding potential revenue shortfalls to area schools if the stadium is built in Arlington Heights.
Despite the team’s dissatisfaction, the megaprojects bill, which would allow the Bears to negotiate property tax payments directly with the Village of Arlington Heights, is headed now to the Senate.
A key piece of legislation designed to keep the Chicago Bears’ stadium project in Illinois is being weighed, and Rose Schmidt has details on what’s in it.
That said, the bill’s lead Senate sponsor State Sen. Bill Cunningham told NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern that legislators “feel no pressure to take a vote next week” when the Senate returns on Tuesday.
“We will work this bill like any other bill,” Cunningham said.
Though the team is not satisfied with the deal, it seems Illinois Governor Pritzker is.
“Governor Pritzker has been clear and consistent for years that the Bears should remain in Illinois, and that any legislation needs to protect taxpayers. Throughout the past few months, the Governor’s Office brought team leadership, local officials, and legislative partners to the table to craft a deal around public infrastructure improvements, property tax fairness, and affordability measures. Today is an important step, and the Governor’s Office looks forward to working with the Illinois General Assembly to advance a bill that reflects our shared priorities,” Pritzker’s office said in a statement on Wednesday.
Illinois
First annual Illinois Film Festival set for Wilmette in August
The new initiative invites young, up-and-coming directors,…
Illinois
GOP Rep. Ryan Spain opposes Illinois redistricting changes
Enter your email and we’ll send a secure one-click link to sign in.
CIProud.com is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
CIProud.com is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is a leading, diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports, and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms. The My Nexstar sign-in works across the Nexstar network—including The CW, NewsNation, The Hill, and more. Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
-
Hawaii5 minutes agoGulick overpass raise expected soon as part of middle street expansion
-
Idaho11 minutes ago
Idaho Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Pick 3 on April 22, 2026
-
Illinois17 minutes agoBears release statement as Illinois legislators take major step toward stadium bill
-
Indiana23 minutes agoThis Small-Town State Park in Indiana Feels Like a Local Secret
-
Iowa29 minutes ago17-year-old sought for attempted murder in mass shooting near University of Iowa: police
-
Kansas35 minutes agoNew downtown stadium will mean less parking for Royals fans
-
Kentucky41 minutes agoNorthern Kentucky Education Council honors NKY educators with 2026 Excellence in Education Awards
-
Louisiana47 minutes agoNorth Carolina man arrested in Okaloosa County for alleged Louisiana mass shooting plan