❓WHAT HAPPENED: A homeless man was fatally stabbed in Chicago, Illinois, by three migrant teenagers.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Wuinayker Rodriguez-Vasquez, 16, and two 14-year-olds, all reportedly from Venezuela, were charged in connection with the attack.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred early morning on November 23 in the Chicago Loop. Rodriguez-Vasquez appeared in court on Tuesday, November 25, while the two 14-year-olds appeared on Monday, November 24.
🎯IMPACT: The case highlights ongoing concerns about migrant crime in Chicago and the wider United States.
Three migrant teenagers have been charged in the fatal stabbing of a 49-year-old homeless man in Chicago, Illinois, over the weekend. A 16-year-old, identified as Wuinayker Rodriguez-Vasquez, is being prosecuted as an adult on a first-degree murder charge. Two 14-year-olds also face charges: one with first-degree murder and the other with armed robbery. All three remain in custody following court appearances earlier this week.
Prosecutors said the attack happened around 5:45 AM near the man’s sleeping area in the Chicago Loop. Surveillance footage reportedly shows the three teens approaching the victim, with one taking the man’s mask, another striking him with a metal rod, and Rodriguez-Vasquez kicking him. When the victim stood, Rodriguez-Vasquez allegedly stabbed him in the back, causing him to collapse. He later died at a hospital, where his death was ruled a homicide.
Investigators say Rodriguez-Vasquez was identified through surveillance images and was found carrying a knife. Prosecutors said the footage includes images of him “displaying a knife to the group, making stabbing motions, and wearing the victim’s skeleton mask on his head.” A Chicago police source described the assault as a “mob-style” attack and said the assailants appeared to be laughing afterward.
According to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records, Rodriguez-Vasquez entered the United States in September 2023 near Eagle Pass, Texas, with his mother. He was arrested at the border but later released. Prosecutors said the encounter was documented as an “alien inadmissibility” case, and he had no prior criminal history in Illinois.
The killing comes as Chicago faces intensified scrutiny over violent crime following a series of high-profile incidents, including a recent case in which a woman was set on fire aboard a city train. The attack, carried out by a repeat offender, prompted widespread criticism of Chicago’s criminal justice system, including from President Donald J. Trump.
The Democrat-run city has also been the focus of national debate over immigration enforcement after a federal judge ordered the release of hundreds of migrants detained during a large-scale enforcement operation earlier this month.
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