A 42-year-old Merrillville man suffered a fractured skull when he was knocked down, beaten and robbed Thursday night as he left work, Lt. Thomas Pawlak said Friday.
The victim is shown on surveillance video leaving the gas station at 2295 Grant St. about 10:45 p.m.
As he walked out, he was surrounded by about a dozen young teens “who came from all directions,” Pawlak said.
Some of the attackers could have been as young as 10 to 12 years old, Pawlak said.
The mob knocked the man down, went through his pockets and took his wallet. His skull was fractured and he had other injuries, Pawlak said. He was initially treated at the Methodist Hospitals Northlake campus, but was later flown to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill.
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The surveillance video shows the teens had been inside the gas station earlier that night, then apparently returned and watched for the clerk to exit the building, Pawlak said.
Lake County Detective Jeff Minchuk, who is assigned to the Gary Violent Crimes Unit, is investigating the robbery and battery. Anyone with information can call him at 881-1210.
Contact Lori Caldwell at [email protected]