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Billy Corgan's Brother Assaulted, Robbed on Chicago's Red Line Train

Billy Corgan of Smashing PumpkinsJonathan Daniel, Getty Images

Thirty-five-year-old Jessie Andersen, the half-brother of Smashing Pumpkins ringleader Billy Corgan (pictured), was mugged in his hometown of Chicago on Thursday, June 9, while taking public transportation to his job. He wasn't held at gunpoint, nor was there any other weapon involved, other than the swiftness and the audacity of a pack of teenagers, who happened to be riding the same Red Line train.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Andersen -- who reportedly suffers from both cerebral palsy and Tourette syndrome -- was playing Nelly Furtado on his iPod when it was snatched away by a female teenager who had sat next to him and asked him what he was listening to. Guess she must've been a really big Nelly Furtado fan.

The thief was with a gang of four other youths, all male, who then played keep-away with the stolen iPod, preventing Andersen from snatching it back. When he chased them at a platform stop, one of the assailants punched him in the face and they got away. Andersen told the Tribune that he mostly just suffered a "bruised ego" along with the loss.

Admittedly, this isolated incident wouldn't necessarily be reported by the newspapers except, of course, that Andersen's brother is Corgan, who took to his Twitter feed to bring attention to it: "My little brother Jesse was attacked and robbed this morning ..." Corgan tweeted. "He's ok, but if you want to send him some love ...[Link to Andersen's Facebook page]."

Well, he may have lost his iPod but he's set to gain a whole slew of new Facebook friends, at least, to help with the bruised ego. That's a good older brother, right there.

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19 Comments

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Gina

Chicago sounds like Detroit with a subway. UGH Can anyone who lives here in Detroit even picture how it would be if we had a subway system? He's lucky all they did was throw out a lame punch. He could have gotten killed over something so trivial. Stupid idiots. But we all know that what goes around comes around so they'll get their's at some point.

June 13 2011 at 9:10 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
vietnamvet1967

Good old Chicago, what a wonderful town, gets better every day

June 13 2011 at 7:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jsduwilco

chitcago chitago that ghetto town ghetto town

June 13 2011 at 6:51 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
GNR2K6

This is the same city that tries to ban law abiding citiizens from owning handguns. So this is exactly the result - open season on the general public by criminals that know they don't have to worry about with people being armed in self defense. Also true is what some had said in previous comments, that these low lifes can only act tough when they're with their posse of p*ssies. The fact that these d-bags needed this many people to rob a disabled person on a subway, only proves how laughably pathetic and true cowards they are. Can't wait until they try this lame a** crap on someone who is packing heat, despite any bs liberal gun law here in Chicago.

June 13 2011 at 6:45 PM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
mstew10034

IF LAW ABIDING CITIZENS COULD LAWFULLY ARM THEMSELVES, THIS TYPE OF NONSENSE WOULD NOT HAPPEN. THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT WOULD BE REDUCED, THE PRISON POPULATION REDUCED... SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING?
USE YOUR HEAD AND ARM YOURSELF WHILE YOU CAN, THE IMPOSTER IN THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS TO TURN AMERICA OVER TO THE MUSLIMS... SO ARM YOURSELF WHILE YOU CAN...

June 13 2011 at 6:29 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
Brian Workman

Chicago is just like New York! Everybody stands around and watches crimes being committed and do nothing to stop it! We have a Nation of Cowards that are unwilling to help each other!!

June 13 2011 at 6:22 PM Report abuse +7 rate up rate down Reply
residentoldfart

It's NOT his brother...damn stupid press....It is his HALF brother.

June 13 2011 at 5:40 PM Report abuse -4 rate up rate down Reply
Big Guy

Typical of punks to pick on those than cannot fight back.
He got mugged. Where were the rest of the passengers?
Maybe they were thinking that the bullies knew him and
were just playing around, and would give it back.
But the fool that punched him? If that was on the platform,
where were Chicago's Finest?

June 13 2011 at 5:36 PM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
dave

Instant Karmas goona get you!~ John Lennon

June 13 2011 at 5:35 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
john

When I drove semi-trucks In southwest Detroit between 1:00-4:00 AM I always had a short double barrel 16 Ga loaded with #1 buckshot right handy to use if needed. Chigago, I had a 357 magnum just to keep things even when I was hauling steel. I've had the natives in Chigago crawl up on my truck, when they staired down the barrel of the 357 they chainged there minds

June 13 2011 at 5:05 PM Report abuse +7 rate up rate down Reply