3 More Teens Arrested In Attack Linked To ‘Lakeview Goons’

ROSCOE VILLAGE — Three more 16-year-olds have been charged in connection with the April beating and robbery of a 19-year-old man near Audubon Elementary School, bringing the total number of juveniles charged in the case to eight, police said.

The latest arrests come about two months after the April 4 attack in the 3500 block of North Hoyne Avenue, where police said a group of teens surrounded, punched and kicked a 19-year-old man before stealing his belongings.

Each of the three newly charged juveniles faces one felony count of robbery and one felony count of aggravated battery in a public place, police said.

The attack drew widespread attention after neighbors and Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) said the group involved may be connected to teenagers who have referred to themselves online as the “Lakeview Goons,” a group that residents say has been associated with harassment and other incidents in Lakeview, Roscoe Village and North Center for years. Police have not publicly confirmed any connection between those charged and the group.

Surveillance footage previously reviewed by Block Club showed the victim attempting to avoid a group of teens before he was surrounded near Audubon Elementary School. As more teens joined in, the group punched and kicked the man before taking his jacket and other belongings.

The victim’s father previously told Block Club he and his other sons searched the neighborhood after receiving a phone call about the attack and helped detain one of the teens suspected to have been involved until officers arrived.

The attack sparked concern throughout the neighborhood, where residents said they had reported troubling and often violent behavior involving groups of teens for years. At community policing meetings following the attack, neighbors pressed police for updates and urged detectives to identify everyone involved.

No trial date has been scheduled, according to a member of the victim’s family. Because the defendants are juveniles, court proceedings remain largely closed to the public.

Police said Thursday there are no additional updates and the investigation is ongoing.