Congress Theater NYE Assault Victim Is Home From The Hospital
By Samantha Abernethy in News on Jan 4, 2012 10:40PM
The woman who was beaten and raped near the Congress Theater in Logan Square on New Year's Eve is home from the hospital. The 18-year-old woman was in a coma Sunday morning, so we're very glad to hear she's recovering quickly.
Her father says she is recovering and heartened by the community outpouring of support. The woman's father told the Sun-Times, "We’re so appreciative, it makes this thing, which is the most horrendous thing in the world, it makes it easier ... You can’t imagine.” The Chicago Tribune reports police now believe as many as eight people may have been involved in the brutal attack on her, "but their roles have yet to be determined, according to a department source." NBC reports the police are waiting on DNA results from a state crime lab and examining surveillance video.
The Highland Park High School student had been turned away from the 17+ show because she did not have her ID. An employee at the Congress said he saw her shortly after, walking with six men. A few of those men returned and said there was a woman on the sidewalk, and security guards nabbed three of them after they found her bloodied, naked and unconscious. Police held the three "persons of interest" for questioning, but released them.
British dubstep DJ Rusko was performing at the Congress that night. He tweeted that he was "shocked and saddened" by what happened and encouraged people to contact police if they saw anything. The attack happened around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, while the opening acts were performing.
We're curious to see how this violence affects the Congress Theater. An unidentified person told WGN-TV, “A show like this usually attracts young suburban white kids that come into the city’s Logan Square neighborhood. A neighbor of the theater, Danny Medina, told the New York Daily News, “They want to make their money, let them make their money, but let’s keep the neighbors safe and people safe and keep this from ever happening again.”