By Rosemary Sobol
Tribune reporter
10:51 p.m. CST, January 16, 2012
Detectives are investigating the beating of a 17-year-old boy by several male attackers Sunday afternoon in the Bridgeport neighborhood in an incident that was captured on YouTube, police said.
The attack happened between 4 p.m. and 4:20 p.m. in an alley in the 2800 block of South Princeton Avenue, according to police News Affairs Officer Daniel O'Brien.
The 17-year-old boy was battered by several unknown male suspects and was robbed of a pair of gym shoes, his wallet and cash, said O'Brien.
He has been released from Mercy Hospital and Medical Center for a laceration to his lip, bruising and abrasions, according to the officer.
A video was being circulated on YouTube that "matches pretty closely'' with what happened on Princeton, O'Brien said. "It's become a big deal because of the video,'' O'Brien said of the attack.
The video shows at least five males, including a one wearing a black mask who appeared to possibly be the ringleader, punching the victim multiple times.
At least once, the victim falls and blood can be seen on his lip but they keep after him, kicking him to the body and head when he is lying on the snow-covered ground.
The victim eventually gets up and appears to be trying to reason with the attackers, but the beating continues. Finally, the teen sees an opening and takes off running, but the suspects follow him down the alley.
According to a law enforcement source, the robbers took $180 from him and the incident is being classified as a "strongarm robbery.''
O'Brien said there was nothing to indicate the victim is a student.
As of late Monday, no one was in custody, but Wentworth Area detectives were continuing their investigation.
