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Chicago police hold four over live-streamed attack Chicago police hold four over live-streamed attack
(about 3 hours later)
Four people have been arrested in the US city of Chicago over a video live-streamed on Facebook, in which a bound and gagged man was assaulted.Four people have been arrested in the US city of Chicago over a video live-streamed on Facebook, in which a bound and gagged man was assaulted.
The man being assaulted has special needs, police say. His assailants can be heard making derogatory statements against white people and President-elect Donald Trump.The man being assaulted has special needs, police say. His assailants can be heard making derogatory statements against white people and President-elect Donald Trump.
In one part of the video they use a knife to remove part of his scalp.In one part of the video they use a knife to remove part of his scalp.
Chicago police have described the video as a "sickening" possible hate crime.Chicago police have described the video as a "sickening" possible hate crime.
"It makes you wonder what would make individuals treat somebody like that," Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said in a press conference streamed on Twitter."It makes you wonder what would make individuals treat somebody like that," Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said in a press conference streamed on Twitter.
"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'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."
Police say the unnamed white victim is an acquaintance of one of the attackers and may have been kidnapped for up to 48 hours prior to the assault. What did the video show?
They say he has been released from hospital after being traumatised by the attack. The incident happened on Tuesday, police say, in a flat on Chicago's West Side. In the 30-minute video, the attackers can be seen cutting the 18-year-old victim's clothes, dropping cigarette ash on him, pushing his head back with a foot and drawing blood by cutting off some of his hair with a knife.
In the press conference senior police officers paid tribute to the speedy response of officers in rescuing the stricken man. Several people can be seen drinking, laughing and smoking, while their bound and gagged captive cowered in the corner of the room.
In the 30-minute video, the attackers can be seen cutting the 18-year-old victim's clothes, dropping cigarette ash on him, pushing his head back with a foot and drawing blood by cutting off some of his hair with a knife. In other videos posted online the young man is beaten, made to drink from a toilet bowl and forced at knife-point to say "I love black people."
Several people can be seen laughing and smoking as the attack takes place. An African American woman talks to the camera, sometimes with slurred speech. At least two male African-Americans are also visible in the footage.
How did police find them?
The unnamed white victim is a school acquaintance of one of the attackers.
Police say they found him wandering in the streets in a disorientated and distressed state after the assault.
Later they say they responded to reports of an assault close to where he was discovered and uncovered evidence of violence and damage to property.
They described him as facing "mental health challenges". They believe he may have been kidnapped for up to 48 hours prior to the assault.
He was taken to hospital, traumatised by the attack, and had difficulty communicating with police, but was later released from hospital.
Who has been arrested and have they been charged?
Police say four people, two male and two female, aged 18, have been arrested. Three were Chicago residents, they said.
Police Commander Kevin Duffin said the police would investigate whether a hate crime had taken place.Police Commander Kevin Duffin said the police would investigate whether a hate crime had taken place.
"They're young adults, and they make stupid decisions," he said, and, in reference to the language used, investigators would seek to "determine whether or not this is sincere or just stupid ranting and raving", he said."They're young adults, and they make stupid decisions," he said, and, in reference to the language used, investigators would seek to "determine whether or not this is sincere or just stupid ranting and raving", he said.
Analysis - James Cook, BBC North America Correspondent Police also said there was a possibility that the incident would be considered a kidnapping.
What is perhaps most striking about the video — apart from the awful, casual brutality — is how brazen it is. How violent is Chicago?
This was a live broadcast to the world which showed a group of people drinking, smoking and laughing while their bound and gagged captive cowered, petrified, in the corner of the room. BBC North America correspondent James Cook says the incident is shocking, but gangland violence is far from uncommon in Chicago.
In other videos posted online the young man is beaten, made to drink from a toilet bowl and forced at knife-point to say "I love black people." It recorded 762 murders last year, more than in the larger cities of New York and Los Angeles combined.
It is shocking but in truth gangland violence is far from uncommon in Chicago which recorded 762 murders last year, more than in the larger cities of New York and Los Angeles combined. In speeches and tweets, President-elect Donald Trump has made much of the crime and racial division in the city where President Barack Obama worked as an activist and a senator.
In speeches and tweets Donald Trump has made much of the crime and racial division in the city where President Barack Obama worked as an activist and a senator.
The incoming president now faces the much tougher challenge of turning damning words into useful actions.The incoming president now faces the much tougher challenge of turning damning words into useful actions.
The incident happened on Tuesday, police say, in a flat on Chicago's West Side. Police say they found the victim wandering in the streets in a disorientated and distressed state after the assault. What has been the reaction?
Later they say they responded to reports of an assault close to where he was discovered and uncovered evidence of violence and damage to property. The incident has provoked a strong reaction on Twitter, especially among alt-right - the fringe group that celebrated Mr Trump's election win with Nazi salutes.
Police say the victim was a high-risk missing person and two men and two women are now in custody. They say the mainstream media has been slower to react, and the police slower to label it a hate crime - than if a black person had been assaulted by white people:
In June a Chicago man was shot dead while live-streaming a video of himself on Facebook. The hashtag #BLMKidnapping entered Twitter's trending list - a reference suggesting the Black Lives Matter campaign was in some way involved, although police have not mentioned the organisation in connection with the incident.
Others, used the hashtag to dismiss the suggestion as completely unfounded.