Overview
- Police said Robert Villanueva, 50, was arrested and charged with five misdemeanor counts of battery in connection with the incident near Ballet Folklorico de Chicago.
- The confrontation occurred around 10 p.m. Friday outside the Avondale studio, where a man threw multiple cups of liquid that struck children and adults as they left.
- Victims listed by police include a 13-year-old boy, three girls ages 13, 14 and 15, and three women ages 40, 41 and 43, with additional victims noted at the scene.
- Video shared publicly captured a woman yelling, “You’re lucky ICE is not here”; she was not charged, and police declined to pursue hate-crime charges against Villanueva.
- Ald. Felix Cardona Jr. thanked police and urged restraint from the public, while the studio reported strong community support, and the neighbors told CBS2 they are Latino and denied racist intent, citing noise complaints.