29-Nov-18 – The Magnificent Mile’s infamous teen mobs were out on Black Friday and Chicago police say one man who fell victim is a soldier in the United States Army.

Shortly after 2 p.m. on November 23, police shooed away a large group of teenagers from Water Tower Place.

After leaving the Michigan Avenue shopping mall, the mob moved to the CTA Red Line station at Chicago & State, where a police tactical team assigned to the station reported that “a mob went into the subway and wound up robbing somebody.”

The man who was robbed was a 31-year-old soldier who, according to prosecutors, was helping a woman exit a train. Teens in the mob apparently inconvenienced by the courtesy argued with the soldier, then attacked and robbed him as he tried to walk up to street level.

The soldier suffered swelling and bruises across his face and body, according to a police report.

Police arrested 18-year-olds Vernon Reeves (far left) and Jimmy Williams (near left). They were each charged with felony robbery and felony aggravated battery. Two juveniles were also arrested.

Bail was set at $100,000 for Reeves and $50,000 for Williams. Both men were on probation for crimes committed as juveniles.