CHICAGO \u2014 Chicago police don\u2019t believe a man beaten in an assault broadcast live on Facebook was targeted because he was white despite profanities made by the accused assailants about white people and President-elect Donald Trump, a police spokesman said Thursday.
Charges are expected later in the day against four black suspects, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told The Associated Press.
This image from the video was posted on the Chicago Police Department\u2019s Facebook page.
He acknowledged that the suspects made \u201cterrible racist statements\u201d during the assault, but that investigators believe the victim was targeted because he has \u201cspecial needs,\u201d not because of his race. But he said authorities are still looking at whether the attack falls under hate crimes statutes.
Guglielmi said it\u2019s possible the suspects were trying to extort something from the victim\u2019s family. Investigators said the victim was with his attackers, including one who was a classmate, for up to 48 hours, and the attack left him traumatized.
Excerpts of the video posted by Chicago media outlets show the victim with his mouth taped shut slumped in a corner as at least two assailants cut off his sweatshirt with a knife, as others taunt him off camera. The video shows a wound on the top of the man\u2019s head, and one person pushing the man\u2019s head with his or her foot. A red band also appears to be around the victim\u2019s hands.
Off-camera, people can be heard using profanities about \u201cwhite people\u201d and Trump. At least one woman is shown in the video.
The victim is a suburban Chicago resident who Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said has \u201cmental health challenges.\u201d In a news conference Wednesday, Johnson described the video as \u201csickening.\u201d
\u201cIt makes you wonder what would make individuals treat somebody like that,\u201d he said.
The investigation began Monday after officers found a man who \u201cwas in distress and was in crisis\u201d walking on a street on the city\u2019s West Side, Capt. Steven Sasso said. The man was taken to a hospital and it was later discovered that he had been reported missing from an unidentified suburb.
At about the same time, police took several people into custody at a nearby address where they found signs of a struggle and property damage. Investigators determined that the missing man had been at the same address.
When asked Wednesday about the racial comments on the video, Cmdr. Kevin Duffin said the four people in custody were \u201cyoung adults and they make stupid decisions.\u201d Investigators will have to determine whether the racial remarks were \u201csincere or just stupid ranting and raving\u201d when considering a potential hate crime charge, Duffin said.
The victim was with his attackers for 24 to 48 hours before police found him, and the episode has left him shaken, according to Duffin.
\u201cHe\u2019s traumatized by the incident and it\u2019s very tough to communicate with him at this point,\u201d he said.
The victim was a classmate of one of the attackers and initially went with that person voluntarily, Duffin said.
Police haven\u2019t identified the individuals in custody, but said three are Chicago residents and one is from suburban Carpentersville. Guglielmi said the suspects are all age 18 or older, and that police were working with prosecutors on Thursday \u201cto build the strongest case.\u201d
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