2 men arranging online dates in Kenwood were kidnapped, beaten by men in ski masks: police
CHICAGO - Two men who thought they were meeting with women in Kenwood were instead accosted by men in ski masks, beaten and then driven to ATMs and forced to withdraw cash.
Four people were arrested in connection to the Tuesday night kidnappings on the South Side.
About 10 p.m. a 23-year-old man went to meet a woman he had met online in the 4700 block of South Ingleside Avenue, and when he arrived she brought him to the basement where he was attacked by four males, Chicago police said.
The males punched him multiple times in the face, forced him to drive his 2014 white Jeep Wrangler to the 7800 block of South Saginaw Avenue, before taking his cellphone and kicking him out of the car, police said. The males all wore ski masks and at least one of them was armed with a gun.
The 23-year-old man was able to call police from a passerby’s phone, and was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition, police said.
About 30 minutes later, a 21-year-old man went to meet a woman he met online at the same address, and when he arrived he was also attacked by four males, police said. The males punched him multiple times, but he was able to run away.
The males chased him down, flashed weapons, and forced him into his Dodge Nitro, police said. The males made him drive to the 6700 block of South Stony Island Avenue, and forced him to withdraw money from an ATM, police said. They then drove him a few blocks away and forced him out of the car in the 6700 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, after taking his wallet.
Responding officers saw the stolen Dodge in the 6700 block of South Rhodes Avenue, and conducted a traffic stop, police said. Four people, including the woman the two men went to meet, were taken into custody.
Charges are pending as Area One detectives continue to investigate.