Four People In Custody After Man Tortured In "Disturbing" Facebook Live Video
- by Virginia Carter
- in World Media
- — Jan 6, 2017
Chicago police are questioning four people regarding an apparent case of torture that was streamed live using Facebook Live, reports WGN.
The disturbing 30-minute video shows a man tied up and his mouth covered, cowering in the corner of room. The man's parents had dropped him off at a McDonald's in Steamwood, I'll., on Saturday, and police believe acquaintances took him to Chicago in a stolen vehicle.
Guglielmi added, however, police and prosecutors still considered hate crime charges due to the victim's disabilities and the remarks the attackers uttered on video.
At a news conference on Thursday afternoon, police also said the victim had been friends with one of the suspects, 18-year-old Jordan Hill of suburban Chicago. Johnson questioned why individuals would treat someone so harshly. "I've been a cop for 28 years and seen things that you shouldn't see in a lifetime, but it still amazes me that you see things that you shouldn't". He had been reported missing on Monday. Later that day, authorities encountered the disoriented victim walking down a street wearing only shorts despite the cold weather.
CNN host Don Lemon told a panel of guests on Wednesday night that Chicago suspects linked to a live-streamed torture video are victims of "bad home training".
The four suspects are between the ages of 18 and 19 and one of them, according to police, was a former schoolmate of the victim.
At one point during the video, one of the female suspects appears to promote her profile on Soundcloud, the music sharing website. The victim is said to have "mental health challenges", according to Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson. Investigators will have to determine whether the racial remarks were "sincere or just stupid ranting and raving" when considering a potential hate crime charge, Duffin said.
Police say it is too soon to make a determination if the attack was racially motivated.
The four people detained - two men and two women - are all aged 18.
The video emerged at a time when police dealings with Chicago's black community are being closely watched.
Cmdr. Kevin Duffin said the suspects made "stupid decisions".