Teen charged with attempted murder in Mount Prospect cellphone assault; second suspect sought
Pictured is Manuel Rivera Jr. (Mount Prospect PD )
MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. - An 18-year-old boy is facing a charge of attempted murder and another suspect is on the run after allegedly attacking a man after using his cellphone in Mount Prospect.
Manuela Rivera was charged Thursday, April 25, with one felony count of attempted murder, one felony count of armed robbery and one felony count of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.
His charges are in connection with an incident on the evening of April 6 that happened at 1490 S. Elmhurst Road.
A day later, on April 7, Mount Prospect police were called to a business at 1740 W. Dempster Street for a battered stabbing victim.
When officers arrived, they found the victim, who claimed he was attacked by two people who punched him in the face, set his pant leg on fire and stabbed him multiple times, police said.
The victim lost consciousness shortly after the attack. When he was conscious again, he realized his phone was missing. That's when he got up and walked to W. Dempster Street and found someone to call 911.
Police said the victim was taken by ambulance to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital for further treatment. He is expected to recover.
Following an investigation into the incident, officers found the victim was hanging out with two teens on April 6 at the Elmhurst Road address.
The victim let the two teens borrow his cellphone and when he asked for it back, the attack happened, police said.
The two teens in the attack were identified as a 17-year-old juvenile runaway and Rivera.
Police said the juvenile is described as having straight brown hair, is 5-foot-six and has a tattoo of a rosary on his right hand. He is not yet in custody.
Rivera is detained until his next court appearance, set for May 17 in Rolling Meadows.