CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago police say charges are expected against four people who police say beat a man in an assault that was broadcast live on Facebook.
The victim is a suburban resident who Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says has “mental health challenges.”
Johnson called the attack and the video “sickening” at a news conference Wednesday. Johnson questioned why individuals would treat someone so harshly.
While police officials did not confirm the races of the suspects or victim, video from Chicago media outlets appeared to show someone off-camera using profanities about “white people” and President-elect Donald Trump.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Thursday morning that charges are expected soon against four black suspects. Guglielmi says the suspects made “terrible racist statements” during the attack, but that investigators believe the victim was targeted because he has special needs, not because of his race.
Guglielmi says it’s possible the suspects were trying to extort something from the victim’s family.
Video from Chicago media outlets appears to show someone off-camera using profanities about “white people” and President-elect Donald Trump. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Wednesday that the victim has mental health challenges, and he called the video “sickening.”
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