Chicago police investigate string of armed robberies downtown; 66-year-old woman dragged onto street

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police are investigating a rash of armed robberies early Thursday morning, with robbers dragging a 66-year-old woman onto the street in one of the incidents.

Nearly a dozen people were targeted between midnight and one this morning. The crime spree impacted people in four different neighborhoods.

The first robbery took place in the 500-block of South Racine Avenue at about 12:15 a.m. Police said three victims were walking on the sidewalk when two armed male suspects approached them.

The suspects robbed the victims and fled north in a brown sedan driven by another suspect.

"I always try to check my phone to see if anything's happening in the area, but it's Chicago, so I feel like something's always happening in the area," South Loop resident Erica Alicea said.

The second incident occurred at about 12:25 a.m. in the 600-block of North Fairbanks Court. Police said a 66-year-old woman was walking on the sidewalk when she was approached by two armed suspects.

One of the suspects fired shots while the other dragged her onto the street before she let go of her belongings, police said. The suspects then got away in a gray sedan, police said.

The woman was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in good condition.

"The gunfire woke me up for the second time in the past few months," a neighborhood resident said.

An attempted robbery occurred just a few minutes later at 12:27 a.m. in the 700-block of South Clark Street.

Police said two victims were walking on the sidewalk when two armed suspects approached and demanded their property.

One of the victims, a 46-year-old woman who tried to intervene, was struck on the top of the head with a handgun and the other victim was not injured, police said. The woman declined medical attention.

Police said the suspects fled the scene in a silver sedan.

In a fourth incident, two people were robbed in the 200-block of East Randolph Street at about 12:30 a.m.

The victims were on the sidewalk when police said a light-colored vehicle approached and two armed male suspects got out and demanded the victims' property.

One of the victims, a 36-year-old man, was struck on the cheek with a handgun and declined medical attention. The other victim was not injured and her property was taken by one of the suspects, who fled the scene.

Another armed robbery occurred at about 12:53 a.m. in the 100-block of East Wacker Drive.

Police said three victims were walking on the sidewalk when a sedan approached and two armed male suspects got out.

A 28-year-old woman was struck on the top of the head and a 25-year-old man was cut on his hand and knee, police said. Both were transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in good condition.

Police have not said if the crimes are connected. No one is in custody and Area Three detectives are investigating.

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