A man was beaten and robbed early Saturday morning during an after-party at a recording studio near Milwaukee and Lawrence avenues in Jefferson Park. The man and a friend were at the gathering, where an altercation occurred.
The altercation happened around 2:30 a.m. Saturday at the recording studio located at 4803 N. Milwaukee Ave., according to Nadig Newspapers. The man was beaten and robbed during the melee.
His friend, who had accompanied him to the party, told officers he was hit on the right side of his face while trying to break up the fight, though police noted the friend was not injured. Officers who responded to the scene said the suspects were described only as Black males with dreadlocks, with one wearing a white shirt — a description that, per the report, has not led to any arrests so far.
Victim Treated at Portage Park Hospital
The injured man suffered wounds to the back of his head, his lip and his right elbow, and was transported to Community First Medical Center, where he was listed in good condition, police said. The hospital is a 279-bed acute care facility with a 24-hour emergency department located at 5645 W. Addison St. in Portage Park, roughly two miles south of the scene, according to Illinois Department of Public Health records.
When officers arrived at the studio, a man who identified himself as being in charge told them there had been a fight but that everyone involved had already been kicked out. According to the police account relayed by the same outlet, the man then closed the door after officers asked to see a business license and did not come back outside. Police could not confirm on scene whether the studio held a valid business license, though the report notes the building's lower-level studio reportedly has one on file.
A Building With a Regulatory History
The address has drawn city scrutiny before. In March 2021, CBS News reported that city inspectors shut down a 73-person indoor party at the same 4803 N. Milwaukee Ave. address, citing the location for operating without required business licenses during pandemic-era enforcement.
The City of Chicago requires a Public Place of Amusement license to produce, present, or conduct an amusement; examples include renting a facility for a public party or event, per the City of Chicago.
Jefferson Park's Broader Safety Picture
The incident lands in a neighborhood that has otherwise seen declining violent crime. CPD's 16th District reported a 15% year-to-date drop in overall crime as of February, with robberies down 71% compared to the same period the year before, Hoodline previously reported.
Still, the stretch of Milwaukee Avenue near the studio has seen its share of trouble. In October 2025, a suspect fired gunshots at a police vehicle during a traffic stop on the same block before crashing into a squad car, according to Hoodline's earlier coverage of a shooting near the Jefferson Park CTA hub.
Whether the studio will face citations or a closure order remains an open question. Chicago aldermen introduced a proposed ordinance earlier this month aimed at tightening enforcement against so-called troubled businesses tied to repeated public safety or nuisance complaints, FOX 32 Chicago reported.
