Editors’ Note: This story was updated at 8 p.m. on May 15, 2017, with information provided by CPS.
A baseball attack by suspected gang members left several students shaken, but largely uninjured Monday morning near Lake View High School, 4015 North Ashland.
School security called police after a carload of suspected gangbangers clambered out of a car and charged toward the students near Ashland and Belle Plaine around 8:25 a.m.
One of the attackers swung a baseball bat that grazed a boy’s head, security reported. The student, who was not seriously injured, received treatment in the school’s medical office.
“Four of our students were confronted by occupants of an unidentified vehicle in an intimidating manner,” LVHS Principal Paul Karafiol said in a letter to parents. “One student was physically assaulted during the incident and sustained minor injuries.”
A source stated that the offenders were four or five Hispanic males who got out of a gray Toyota Camry with tinted windows. The car had been seen circling campus around the time of the incident, the source said.
The student who was grazed declined to sign a complaint, and no police report was immediately filed.
Extra police resources were on-hand for this afternoon’s dismissal, according to a staff member who spoke with CWB Chicago. An increased police presence is also expected on Tuesday.
Karafiol asked parents to speak with their children “and remind them to be vigilant at all times and to report any suspicious behavior to a trusted adult.”
The full text of Karfiol’s letter to parents follows.
Dear Lake View Parents,
Your child’s safety is our top priority. I’m emailing to inform you of an incident that happened in the area near the school. On their way to school, four of our students were confronted by occupants of an unidentified vehicle in an intimidating manner. One student was physically assaulted during the incident and sustained minor injuries.
We have fully engaged with the Chicago Police Department and the CPS Office of Safety & Security, and an investigation is underway. We will also have additional security supports at our school, particularly during arrival and dismissal.
I would like to reassure you that we are taking every possible measure to ensure the safety and security of our students. Please speak with your child and remind them to be vigilant at all times and to report any suspicious behavior to a trusted adult.
We appreciate your support. Please contact the school if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you.
