Woman Hurt In Violent Home Invasion On Fullerton Parkway In Lincoln Park
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Police were searching Wednesday for three men behind a vicious attack in a building on Fullerton Parkway in Lincoln Park the night before.
The men barged into a woman's home, handcuffed her, taped her mouth shut, and then beat and robbed her, police said.
The details are horrifying unto themselves. But there are a lot of details that remain a mystery – among them, why did the men choose a secure building with cameras, and why did they choose to target someone on the top floor of the building – making it harder for them to get awy.
The home invasion and attack happened around 9:10 p.m. Tuesday in the Beachwalk Apartments, at 420 W. Fullerton Pkwy. just east of Clark Street. The building is mostly made up of studio and one bedroom apartments.
Police said the 32-year-old woman was inside her apartment when she heard a knock on the door. When she answered her door, three men rushed into inside. She did not know the men, and they covered the peep hole while knocking, according to a police source.
A police source said the men were all armed with guns and repeatedly slapped and hit her in the head and on her face and hit her in the head with an unknown object.
One man held her against the wall while the other two searched the apartment, the source said. She was asked, "Where is the money? We know you have money here."
When she told them she didn't have any money one of them put his gun inside her mouth and said, "Do you want to die today?" He then said, "We should shoot her and leave," the police source said.
The woman was then forced to lie face down on the bed where she was handcuffed and had her mouth taped shut. The source said the men told her not to move or look at them and they would be back.
The men went on to steal miscellaneous items from the apartment before running off, police said. A police source said they took a ceramic container filled with cash, her purse and wallet and a laptop.
The woman then ran to a neighbor's apartment to get help after the violent robbery. A 911 call said the victim walked into the neighbor's apartment handcuffed and saying someone was "after her."
A police source said the neighbor was able to take the cuffs off her while waiting for police to arrive.
The woman was transported to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center where her condition was stabilized, according to police. She was still recovering Wednesday.
Outside the building, CBS 2's Audrina Bigos counted four cameras just on one side. Another camera is mounted inside the lobby.
It was not known Wednesday night whether any of these cameras caught the men police are looking for.
There is more security – including a call box at the front door. To get in, you need either a key or a renter to buzz you.
There is even a sign inside the entrance reading, "You can improve security by denying access to anyone you do not know."
But on Tuesday night, the three men somehow got into the Beachwalk Apartments.
"It's real difficult to get in. It's two doors," said resident Rob Griffin.
"I'm not even sure how they got in," a woman added. "It seems a little too easy that at 9 p.m., three men could come in and break into somebody's apartment."
That woman added, "I just want to talk to the manager of the building, and hopefully she can explain new security that will happen."
The victim did offer descriptions of the men. The first man is described as African American, 35 to 40 years old, between 5 feet 4 inches and 5 feet 5 inches, and 150 to 175 pounds with brown eyes and black hair in braids. He was wearing black pants, a black shirt, black shoes and a gold necklace.
The second gunman is described as African American, 26 to 28 years old, about 5 feet 7 inches or 5 feet 8 inches tall and 140 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. He was wearing a white shirt and light blue jeans.
The victim described the third man as African American, between 25 and 28 years old, between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall with brown eyes and black hair with orange tips. He might have a silver or gold tooth.
Police have now released any surveillance pictures of the three men they are seeking.
CBS 2 reached out to the building's management to ask for video, but our calls were not returned.
Area North detectives were investigating late Wednesday.
The victim did offer descriptions of the men. The first man is described as African American, 35 to 40 years old, between 5 feet 4 inches and 5 feet 5 inches, and 150 to 175 pounds with brown eyes and black hair in braids. He was wearing black pants, a black shirt, black shoes and a gold necklace.
The second gunman is described as African American, 26 to 28 years old, about 5 feet 7 inches or 5 feet 8 inches tall and 140 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. He was wearing a white shirt and light blue jeans.
The victim described the third man as African American, between 25 and 28 years old, between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall with brown eyes and black hair with orange tips. He might have a silver or gold tooth.
CBS 2's Eric Cox contributed to this report.
