Dangerous City Streets

A Vicious Attack in Edgewater Highlights Dangers Lurking

By Steve Larsen (republished from Inside Publications)

On the night of June 17, three African American males in their 20s slapped a man in front of the McDonald’s restaurant at 6231 N. Broadway. They almost knocked him off the bench and onto the patio floor. Small groups of customers sat at the half-dozen tables in front of the McDonald’s, shocked at what had happened.

This unprovoked attack on a Caucasian senior citizen was witnessed by others who saw the three men run off, laughing, and head toward the CTA Red Line station on Granville. Thinking the three thugs had left the neighborhood, the group in front of the McDonald’s dispersed, going their separate ways.

No reason for the attack had been given. The senior gentleman proceeded to the corner of Broadway and Granville, in front of Ann Sather restaurant, 1147 W. Granville. The three men returned, and they had a long walking cane with them. They saw the senior there, and the first man started beating him over the head with the cane. He did this 10 or 20 times, until the cane broke. The cane sliced open the senior’s neck. There was a great deal of blood gushing from this head wound.

A crowd of half a dozen people was on the corner, screaming for the men to stop attacking the senior. One courageous man actually picked up the first attacker – the most violent one – and carried him out into the street to diffuse the situation. Onlookers yelled and tried to stop the beating. The second man was punching the senior as the third man provided menacing backup. The first attacker was able to get loose and run back to start hitting the senior again. People yelled, people called the police, and people tried to get between the three attackers and the senior citizen, who eventually ran out onto Broadway.

Drivers honked and yelled at the attackers, but they kept chasing the senior, who out of desperation ran across the street and into the CVS store, 6150 N. Broadway. He entered the store running, yelling for the employees to call the police. They called 911 as the three attackers followed the senior into the store and intensified their attack, knocking him down, punching him, and kicking him until he could no longer get up off the floor. The store was full of customers and employees.

Eyewitness recounts beating of senior citizen at Edgewater intersection. The video was running, people took photos of the attackers, however, when they entered the CVS, they put on masks. One man, who had followed the three thugs into the store, grabbed the last one and pulled him out of the store. The youngest and smallest, this attacker turned around and screamed at the gentleman, “Do you know who I am? You are a dead man!”

The man continued to pull this thug out into the parking lot. Soon, the police sirens could be heard, and all three attackers walked calmly and slowly back down to the CTA station, in no hurry to leave the neighborhood. Several police officers, and a pair of paramedics, arrived at the scene. They asked the standard questions, and provided the usual safety procedures commonly taken at a crime scene once the attackers have left and there is no longer any danger. Two police officers stopped at the corner of Broadway and Granville.

The man who had carried the thug out into the street told officers several times that the three men walking past them and down the sidewalk on Granville toward the Red Line station were the ones who had committed the attack. The officers ignored him. Instead, the officers went across the street to the CVS and became part of the chaos and confusion in the store. There too, they asked the standard questions and offered their help.

The paramedics took the senior citizen to the hospital. Suspect #1 is 5’-9” tall and 160 lbs., about 25-years-old with small squares in hair design, wearing a black jacket, and jeans. Suspect #2 is 5-’6” tall and 150 lbs., about 25-years-old, wearing a black hoodie and jeans. Suspect #3 is 5’-6” tall and 130 lbs., about 20-years-old wearing a bright yellow hoodie and jeans.

Two nights later, two of the three attackers returned to the McDonald’s and saw the senior citizen sitting there. They wanted to know where one of their shoes had gone, it being lost when they ran off and they wanted to get paid to buy a new pair of shoes. The senior immediately called 911, reported the men being there again, and after the two men left, waited for the police to arrive. The police said they had searched the area of Broadway and Granville, and east toward the CTA station, the Red Line platform, and nearby alleys. They told the senior to avoid the neighborhood and call 911 if he saw any of the attackers again. Police said there was nothing they could do but show up when called.

The victim, who holds a Ph.D. from Loyola Univ., is a well-known neighbor and community member. If anyone has any information about the attack, the three suspects, or any other news to share on the topic, call Detective Covelli at 312-744-8261. He can also be contacted at timothy.covelli@ chicagopolice.gov.

Reference case #JE269963. Flyers with the basic information and facts of the attack are available at stevelarsen4503@ yahoo.com. We must get these three violent men off the streets. Chicago seems to be turning into a very violent city – no matter the neighborhood. Some people are afraid to try to diffuse or stop an attack, others are fearful of being retaliated against if they get involved in a campaign to get some people behind bars, and still others are reluctant to be interviewed for stories – even though they are eyewitnesses. Once the sun goes down, are we all on our own?