From the Chicago Tribune:

A 14-year-old boy severely beaten in Chicago’s  Edgewater neighborhood was able to talk to detectives Thursday after undergoing surgery for a fractured skull, police said.

The boy, a freshman at Mather High School, was chased down the 6300 block of North Paulina Street on Wednesday evening by three males who beat him, police said. One hit him with a pipe, they said.

“The victim spoke briefly with detectives and was able to relay some details of the incident,” Police Officer Gabrielle Lesniak said. “His account is still a little shaky.”

The boy was in critical condition at Children’s Memorial Hospital but expected to live, police said. No one is in custody, but officers believe the beating is gang-related, Police Supt. Jody Weis said.

“That doesn’t take away from the violence that he faced,” said Weis, who indicated that police have identified members of a particular gang as the assailants.

Gangs.  This was all about gangs.  14-years-old.

Again, we need to stop and consider.  These are our children doing this.

Our children.