Police searching for teens who beat up father at suburban park

CHICAGO (Fox 32 News) - A group of young men attacked a father playing basketball with his 10-year-old son in northwest suburban Antioch.

Now, a local bar will be hosting a benefit to try to raise money to help with his mounting medical bills.

The attack prompted an immediate response from police who say they are close to arresting at least seven people, both juveniles and adults.

The victim, Jeff Matthews, suffered a blow to the head and can no longer open his mouth. His jaw was fractured in two places and he suffered a concussion.

Four weeks after the attack, he still cannot chew and he can barely talk.

On April 25 -- as Matthews was playing basketball with his son, his son’s friend and a few young men they didn’t know at Williams Park behind the Antioch Public Library -- a car of teens exchanged words with one of those young men.

Matthews says the teens threatened to come back, so he sent his son and the other boy away from the court.

“They left, came back with sticks, bats, and whatever,” Matthews said.

Police say charges could be filed early next week.

The fundraiser to help Matthews is Saturday from 4 p.m. until close at Lucky Bernie’s bar along Route 173.