CHICAGO — A robbery on the city’s West Side escalated dramatically after the victim’s family took matters into their own hands, confronting and assaulting a suspect just minutes after the crime, according to prosecutors.
Teen Robbed of iPhone and Gym Gear
The incident unfolded on June 16 around 2:40 p.m. near Roosevelt Road and Central Park Avenue, where a 14-year-old boy was allegedly targeted by four men at a bus stop. According to a police arrest report and court documents, the group demanded the teen’s sweater, then escalated the encounter when he refused.
One man reportedly picked the boy up, prompting the teen to punch him in self-defense. Another suspect rifled through the boy’s pockets and stole his iPhone, while others took his Nike gym shoes and hoodie, which police valued between $1,200 and $1,450.
Victim Ran to Grandmother’s House Barefoot
Surveillance video captured part of the robbery, showing the teen running barefoot to a nearby home — identified later as his grandmother’s. Prosecutors said the footage also caught two of the suspects entering a building in the 3600 block of West Grenshaw Street, while the others fled down an alley.
The teen later told his mother he recognized one of the robbers from a facility where she works, identifying him by a tattoo above his left eyebrow. The man was later confirmed to be Dnario Brown, 18, police said.
Family Tracks Down Suspect and Recovers Stolen Items
Roughly five minutes after the robbery, the boy and his mother went to the location where the suspects had been seen. There, the family reportedly recovered the stolen iPhone and hoodie — and physically confronted Brown.
According to the prosecution’s detention proffer, Brown was beaten up by members of the teen’s family before police intervened. Burbank police initially detained him until Chicago officers arrived and took over the case.
Suspect Held Without Bond Due to Prior Arrests
During a bond hearing, Judge Ankur Srivastava ordered Brown held in custody pending trial. Court records show Brown has four prior arrests for violent offenses and was already facing charges in an unrelated case at the time of this robbery.
He is expected to appear in court later this month.
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