Authorities in Illinois have charged eleven teenage boys. The teens reportedly used an online dating app to lure unsuspecting men to meet, where they would then attack them, police officials stated per USA Today.

The charges involve ten boys aged 17 and one 16-year-old. They face numerous felonies such as aggravated battery, mob action, and criminal damage to property, as detailed in a news release from the Mount Prospect Police Department. Additionally, one of the 17-year-olds is facing two extra felony counts related to a hate crime, according to the department.

The teenagers voluntarily surrendered and were taken into custody between November 11 and November 20, 2024, according to police reports. An investigation by Mount Prospect police revealed that some of the suspects were inspired to target men by a viral trend they had seen on social media.

Victims Attacked in 7-Eleven Parking Lot

Police reported that the first incident occurred on July 8 at 9:45 p.m., involving a 41-year-old man who was assaulted by the group in a 7-Eleven parking lot. He had arranged to meet someone through an online dating app, but upon arrival, he was confronted verbally and then physically attacked by the teens. Police reported that the teenagers damaged the man’s car during the first incident, but he managed to escape as they tried to follow him. 

The second incident, occurring around 9:54 p.m. the same day, involved a 23-year-old man who was also lured and assaulted after using an online dating app. During the attack, one suspect slashed the man’s tires. He drove away but later stopped to seek help from a nearby home, where he asked them to call 911. Emergency responders took him to a hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Detectives were able to identify the suspects using surveillance footage from the 7-Eleven.

#Clique, what are your thoughts?