2 men charged with robbing boy at Green Line station (one was on pretrial release for having a gun at the same stop)
Two Men Charged with Robbing Teen at CTA Green Line Station
Stephon Edwards, 19, and Xander Simmons, 20, have been accused of robbing a 17-year-old boy at a CTA Green Line station. This incident took place at the 63rd and Ashland stop on February 18, where the victim was surrounded by the two men and two others, who then proceeded to take his chain, backpack, and other belongings. Both Edwards and Simmons are currently in custody awaiting trial after being charged with robbery.
According to Assistant State’s Attorney Farihah Syed, the victim was approached by the group at around 6:52 p.m. on the first floor of the station. They were wearing face masks, and the victim felt a hard object pressed against his back, which he believed to be a gun. Edwards then demanded the victim’s chain while Simmons took his backpack.
During the robbery, a CTA employee intervened and asked if they were robbing the victim, to which one of the group members confirmed. After the incident, the victim called his mother, who then alerted the police. Officers were able to stop a CTA bus nearby and apprehend Edwards, Simmons, and a juvenile who was also involved in the robbery. The fourth member of the group remains at large.
Edwards was found wearing the victim’s chain around his neck, and some of the stolen property was recovered from the group. CTA surveillance footage supported the victim’s account of the events.
It is worth noting that Simmons was previously arrested at the same Green Line station on July 6 for possession of a firearm with an extended magazine. Despite prosecutors’ request to keep him detained at that time, the request was denied by Judge James Murphy III.
During the detention hearing, Judge Ankur Srivastava ordered Edwards to be detained, citing his recent felony gun conviction and juvenile adjudication for carjacking.
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