11-year-old girl charged with aggravated battery after 8 to 10 youths brutally beat up 63-year-old man on Chicago train
An 11-year-old girl was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery of a victim 60 or older and felony robbery of a victim 60 or older after eight to 10 youths brutally beat up a 63-year-old man on a Chicago train earlier this month.
In addition to the girl, four other juveniles and an 18-year-old woman have been arrested and charged in connection with the attack on the Chicago Transit Authority train, WFLD-TV reported.
'They were like, 'Oh, you're trying to start something with us!' Then it was like I was literally running through a gauntlet of fists.'
The victim, Michael Manning, told the station he was keeping to himself after a 12-hour workday and looking forward to getting home when the youths — which consisted of males and females — targeted him after they boarded his train at the LaSalle/Van Buren stop after 11 p.m. July 8.
"I knew right away that this was not going to go well, no matter what I said or did," Manning told the station. "I stood up, and I’m 6’4" and I guess that was not a good move because I immediately got punched in the back of the head, which sent me forward into the group. They were like, ‘Oh, you're trying to start something with us!’ Then it was like I was literally running through a gauntlet of fists."
Manning called the attack "surreal" in an interview with WFLD — which you can view here — and said he "was just so shocked. I think I kind of went numb."
"They just pounded on me, and I knew I had to get off this car to, like, not die," he added to the station.
Manning told WFLD he exited the train one stop later — but the group followed him and continued beating him up, leaving him bloodied on the platform before they jumped back on the train. Manning's right ear and right cheek were bloody, and he suffered a black eye on his right eye, according to photos he shared with the station. He told WFLD they stole only a few of his belongings, including his debit card.
"I don't understand how you can have this type of lawlessness and wanton disrespect, disregard for basic humanity," Manning added to the station. "And there's no checks and balances anywhere."
Who else was arrested?
Among the other arrestees are a 16-year-old male who got cuffed Monday in the 1700 block of South State Street, WFLD reported, adding that he was charged with felony robbery of a victim 60 or older and felony aggravated battery of a victim 60 or older.
A 15-year-old female and two other males — ages 14 and 16 — were arrested Tuesday in the 7000 block of South Cottage Avenue, the station said, adding that all three were hit with the same charges: felony robbery of a victim 60 or older and felony aggravated battery of a victim 60 or older.
Tamia Washington, 18, was arrested Wednesday in the 1700 block of South State Street, WFLD said, adding that she was charged with one felony count of robbery of a victim 60 or older and that her detention hearing was scheduled for Thursday.
Police urge anyone with information to contact the Chicago Police Department's Mass Transit detectives at 312-745-4447, the station said, adding that anonymous tips can be submitted to CPDtip.com.
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