Woman forced out of vehicle in NW Side carjacking, shares terrifying story exclusively with ABC7

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A woman was forced out of her car in a carjacking on the Northwest Side Thursday morning, Chicago police said.

The carjacking took place at about 12:45 a.m. in the 6000-block of West Wellington Avenue.

Police said a 23-year-old woman was sitting in parked 2019 Subaru when four armed male suspects forced her out of the car.

The victim shared the terrifying story exclusively with ABC7.

"It literally can happen to anybody at any time," Athena Pekarek said. "I could see my house from where it was happening," Pekarek said. "I'm like, 'Man, I'm literally home.'"

The trauma is difficult to shake for Pekarek as she sat outside of her house and reflected on what happened just steps away.

"I wasn't paying attention to anything, and they just opened my door and then grabbed me by the shirt like this, and took me out of the car," Pekarek said. "And, I didn't know who was taking me out of the car, so I was like, 'No, you can't have my car.'"

One of the suspects fled in the victim's car and the others fled in a dark-colored sedan, police said.

"That's when they took one fist off and said, 'Do you want to get shot?'" Pekarek said.

She said police told her the car was used by the suspects while committing other crimes.

"They were getting calls about my car around the city just doing bad stuff," Pekarek said.

The woman was not injured and no one is in custody, police said. Area Five detectives are investigating.

"You better hope you're not caught up in that car because I hope they're in jail." Pekarek said. "I'm never going to park and take a second before I come to my house."

INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood