Four honor students face charges after being caught on camera violently beating a man on Chicago's Northwest Side after allegedly posing as shoppers interested in buying the victim's bike on Facebook.
Eric Batlle, 20, says he listed his used bike on the social media site in hopes of unloading it in the week before he headed back to college at Northern Illinois University.
After finding who he thought was a serious buyer, he arranged a meeting for 2 p.m. Tuesday at a neighborhood gas station in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. But when he arrived, Batlle says he was ambushed by a group of teenagers and violently attacked.
“The first thing I saw was someone [spraying something at my face],” Batlle said. “And I knew it was pepper spray immediately. I tried to cover my face but it got all over.”
Armed with bats and pepper spray, Batlle said the attackers only increased the intensity of the beating from there.
“The way I look at it, is one wrong swing of the bat and I wouldn’t be telling this story,” Batlle said.
Carol Walker was near the gas station at the intersection of Damen Avenue and West Division Street when she saw the disturbing altercation unfold.
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“They ran up, grabbed this man, slammed him on the car and [dragged] him over there,” Walker said. “[Then they] kicked him and sprayed him with mace [before they] dragged him [to another area] and beat him some more.”
Surveillance footage from the gas station shows the vicious assault go on for more than five minutes. Batlle was taken to the emergency room for treatment. Police said he received minor injuries.
Police identified the assailants as Patrick T. Moran, 18, of the 4800 block of South Cornell Avenue; Carter A. Coates, 18, of the 1300 block of North Leavitt Street; Andrew B. Patterson, 18, of the 1100 block of West Grand Avenue and Michael K. Kralis, 18, of the 8500 block of North Keating Avenue, Skokie.
A 17-year-old boy, who police said posed as the potential buyer of the bike, was also involved in the attack, but his name wasn't being released as he is a minor, police said.
The teenagers were charged with armed robbery and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and appeared in bond court Wednesday.
All honor students with GPAs hovering around 4.0 and higher, the Chicago Tribune reports some of the attackers even had plans to attend Ivy League colleges.
Each of the charged teens has hired a private attorney for the case, but as of Wednesday evening they would not comment on the case.
