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Hate Crime Charges Filed In Chicago Case Of Kidnapped White Teen Tortured Amid Racist And Anti-Trump Taunts [Video]

By Patricia Ramirez
Published on: 11:35 PST, Jan 5, 2017

Four suspects in the horrific kidnapping and torture of a white special needs Chicago teen are now facing hate crime charges. The chilling crime was broadcast live on Facebook, and it featured the African-American alleged attackers forcing the victim to drink toilet water, tying him up, and slashing the 18-year-old, beating and screaming at him.

As ABC News Chicago reports, the hate crime charges filed against the four suspects are in addition to multiple other charges related to the kidnapping and torture of the victim.

In all, 18-year-old Jordan Hill, 18-year-old Tesfaye Cooper, 18-year-old Brittany Covington, and 24-year-old Tanishia Covington have each been charged with aggravated kidnapping, hate crime, aggravated unlawful restraint, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and residential burglary in addition to perpetuating a hate crime. The Cook County state’s attorney says that Jordan Hill also faces charges of robbery and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upWRd8m_et4

As The Guardian reports, the alleged hate crime perpetuated by the four African-American suspects was allegedly racially motivated, with the Facebook Live broadcast clearly showing the victim bound, gagged, and tortured while his assailants yelled such vulgarities as “F**k Donald Trump” and “F**k white people.” The teenage victim of the alleged hate crime allegedly suffers from “mental health challenges,” making the racially-charged alleged hate crime that much more unthinkable and egregious.

“Video of a brutal act towards an adult male with mental health challenges made its way onto social media. The images in the video put on display the brazenness of the offenders who assaulted the victim and then broadcast it for the entire world to see.”

According to investigators, the horrific crime was brought to the attention of law enforcement on Monday. That was when the victim’s parents reported to police that they had had no contact with their mentally compromised son, a Streamwood resident, since Saturday. They told law enforcement that that was when they’d dropped him off near a Chicago McDonald’s, reportedly a favorite haunt of the 18-year-old alleged hate crime victim.

Police say that on Monday, the victim met with one of his alleged kidnappers. While investigators into the alleged hate crime aren’t saying which of the four suspects it was, they are confirming that it was someone that the victim had met in the past.

“He is an acquaintance of one of these subjects. They stole a van and brought him to Chicago.”

The victim’s parents claim to have gotten disturbing text messages, allegedly from their son’s kidnappers, telling them that they were “holding him captive.” As Streamwood detectives continued to investigate the case, they came across the Facebook Live video, a video that allegedly shows the victim being subjected to what amounts to a vicious hate crime.

Still, police were not the ones to liberate the young man from his alleged captors. Rather, investigators into his disappearance were contacted by the Chicago Police Department who had found the victim “clearly traumatized,” walking the streets in confusion and apparent distress.

In all, investigators believe that the 18-year-old victim was held for 24 to 48 hours by his captors.

Police say that at this point into the investigation into the seemingly senseless kidnapping and torture, they have not uncovered a motive for the alleged hate crime. However, it was investigated as a hate crime and ultimately, law enforcement and prosecutors determined that it was appropriate to charge the four suspects with a hate crime in the disturbing case.

According to investigators, and visible on original live streaming Facebook video, the four African-American teens can be heard telling their white victim to say he “loves black people” as he is being mercilessly tortured and held captive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hJVXD2hB3c

Facebook ultimately removed the vicious video depicting the alleged hate crime, and offered the following statement in explanation after being accused of “covering up” a black-on-white hate crime.

“We do not allow people to celebrate or glorify crimes on Facebook and have removed the original video for this reason. In many instances, though, when people share this type of content, they are doing so to condemn violence or raise awareness about it. In that case, the video would be allowed.”

Currently, both the Streamwood and Chicago police departments are investigating this horrific case of kidnapping and torture caught on camera and broadcast live. All four Chicago suspects are scheduled to appear in Bond Court on January 6 at 1:30 p.m. to answer to the hate crime charges filed in the case of the tortured white teen.

[Featured Image by Chicago Police Department]

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