Chicago Police Arrest Four Teens After Violent Hate Crime
Four Chicago teens remain in custody after live streaming hate crimes to Facebook.
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Crime in Chicago ran ramped in 2016 and recent crimes suggest that there is no end to the lawlessness in what is becoming one of the most dangerous cities in the country.
Local police found a man walking the streets of Chicago after he was kidnapped and tortured for hours by local teenagers. This has been deemed a hate crime as the assailants livestreamed the crime to Facebook, where the four were seen beating and cutting the victim while also executing other forms of harassment such as forcing him to drink toilet water and to curse President-elect, Donald Trump while being held at knife point.
During the video posted by Facebook user and suspected assailant Brittany Herring, the teens are clearly heard declaring hate for white people and Trump. They restrained and tortured the victim on the Chicago’s west side on January 4.
“It’s sickening. It makes you wonder what would make individuals treat somebody like that,” Chicago Police Superintendent Edward Johnson said in a press conference following the incident. “I’ve been a cop for 28 years, and I’ve seen things that you shouldn’t see in a lifetime, but it still amazes me how you still see things that you just shouldn’t. I’m not going to say it shocked me, but it was sickening.”
The video was removed by the original facebook user, but alternate copies started to trend over many other social media websites. The hashtag “BLMKidnapping” was used by many on Twitter after commentator Glenn Beck assumed the group to be connected to the Black Lives Matter movement, however no connections were made to the movement.
“You are right. Stand up with me and demand justice in Chicago for the beating of a disabled trump supporter by BLM,” Beck said on Twitter in response to a user’s praise for Trump although the victim has not publically stated his support for the current President-elect.
All four suspected assailants are in police custody as of Thursday morning and the victim is currently recovering in a local hospital. With the city of Chicago coming off of one of the bloodiest years in its history, this is an unfortunate sign of crimes to come for the year ahead.
“I think they should talk to [the assailant’s] parents and the best thing to do is arrest them but get them help and possibly counseling,” junior Kaitlyn Snellman said.