A man was found “lifeless” on the ground and rushed to the hospital where he was in a coma after he was brutally beaten by a group for several minutes in Waukegan.
The incident happened around 3 a.m. Thursday near the PADS Lake County, 1800 Grand Avenue in Waukegan.
The Waukegan Fire Department and Waukegan Police Department responded to the location for a call of an injured person.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said a passing motorist found the victim in the roadway and called 911.
The victim’s head was split open and both of his eyes were swollen.
Paramedics transported the victim to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan. He was later transferred to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
Hospital staff initially did not believe the critically injured man would survive, McConnell said.
The man was in a coma and on life support as of last week.
His current condition was not immediately known but the coroner’s office said Wednesday they had not been notified of his death.
Investigators learned there was an altercation between the victim and five to six offenders, McConnell said.
Video surveillance recovered showed the victim running eastbound on Grand Avenue in front of PADS before running northbound on Indiana Street.
The victim was being chased by the group before they were able to catch up to him, McConnell said.
At least three people from the group were involved in attacking the victim.
McConnell said one of the suspects, Andrew C. Armstrong, 60, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, was described as one of the two primary aggressors.
Armstrong and the second primary aggressor began punching and kicking the victim, McConnell said.
A third man could be seen kicking the victim a few times and a fourth man could be seen bending over the victim.
McConnell said the victim tried to get up but was pulled down by Armstrong, who punched the victim three more times despite the victim no longer struggling or moving.
The victim rolled into the street from the sidewalk while Armstrong continued to punch and kick the victim in the head while the victim was not moving, McConnell said.
Armstrong and the second primary aggressor continued to punch and kick the victim, McConnell said.
McConnell said the suspects attacked the victim for approximately three minutes, even after the victim was lifeless and not moving.
Investigators identified Armstrong’s clothing description and later located him. He had blood on his clothing.
Armstrong was arrested on an outstanding arrest warrant for failing to appear in court in a pending case.
The fourth man involved in the group was also located and interviewed, McConnell said.
He told investigators he was trying to pull one of the suspects off of the victim, who he described as “lifeless,” and did not try to hurt him. The man identified Armstrong as one of the primary aggressors in a photo lineup.
Armstrong denied he participated in the incident and became belligerent with officers when they tried to collect his clothing for evidence, McConnell said.
Armstrong has an extensive criminal background dating back to 1990.
Armstrong was charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak granted prosecutors’ petition to detain Armstrong pending trial.
Armstrong remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on August 8.