Man sexually assaulted during robbery attempt in Boystown, police say

A man was attacked by a group of robbers, one of whom sexually assaulted the victim, in Boystown on Saturday evening, police said. No arrests have been made.

Police were first called to the 3600 block of North Halsted around 9:28 p.m. when a worker reported seeing a fight outside the Center on Halsted, 3656 North Halsted. But officers did not see anything happening when they arrived.

Around 10:20 p.m., police were called back to the same location by a 34-year-old man who reported that the “fight” was actually three men trying to rob him of his backpack, according to a police report.

During the robbery attempt, one of the offenders pulled the man’s pants down and sexually assaulted him with a finger, a CPD spokesperson said. The attackers then ran southbound on Halsted Street.

An ambulance took the victim, who also suffered a leg injury, to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment.

He said the attackers were three Black men in their mid-20’s who wore black hoodies. Area Three detectives are investigating.

Robbery reports are beginning to uptick in the Wrigleyville and Boystown neighborhoods as people return to nightlife venues after the COVID pandemic. But the increase, at least so far, is modest when compared to last year’s record low numbers.

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