Authorities in Illinois have announced charges against 11 teenagers accused of participating in a viral social media trend involving the use of dating apps to lure and attack men. The teens face numerous felony charges for their alleged involvement in assaults that occurred over the summer.
According to a statement by the Mount Prospect Police Department, the group targeted two men in separate incidents.
“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 said.
Details of the Alleged Attacks
On July 8, at around 9:45 p.m., a 41-year-old man reported being assaulted in a business parking lot in Mount Prospect, a suburb roughly 20 miles northwest of Chicago.
“The victim related that he had utilized an online dating app to arrange to meet a person at that location,” the police stated. “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. The victim related he fled in the vehicle and was eventually able to get away from the group of teenagers, who followed him in their vehicles.”
Within 10 minutes of the first attack, a 23-year-old man reported a similar assault approximately one mile away. He told police he had arranged to meet someone via a dating app when a group of teenagers allegedly attacked him and damaged his vehicle, including slashing its tires. The victim was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigation and Charges
Police analyzed surveillance footage from the areas of the alleged attacks and identified 11 juveniles as suspects. Authorities concluded that the suspects participated in one or both assaults.
The juveniles face a total of 53 felony charges, including aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, criminal damage to property, and mob action.
One suspect is also facing two counts of felony hate crime charges for allegedly using “a racial and another derogatory term” during an attack. Police have not disclosed the specific terms used.
Additional Information
All of the suspects are male, with 10 aged 17 and one aged 16. As minors, their identities remain undisclosed.
Last month, all 11 suspects turned themselves in to law enforcement and were taken to the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center in Chicago.
During questioning, the teenagers reportedly told investigators that they were inspired to commit the alleged crimes by a viral trend they had seen on social media.
“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,” Mount Prospect Police Chief Mike Eterno reiterated.
