welcomia/iStock/Thinkstock(CHICAGO) — Police in Chicago are investigating after a video posted on social media appeared to show a man being beaten.
Regarding the disturbing video that surfaced on social media of a battery: Incident is under investigation/suspects are being questioned pic.twitter.com/GGi3qs9rGv
— Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) January 4, 2017
According to the Chicago Police Department, officers on patrol on Tuesday night noticed a disoriented male walking along West Lexington Street. ABC affiliate WLS in Chicago says that officers later responded to a reported battery on that same street, and discovered signs of a struggle and damage to property. Police believe the scene is connected to the disoriented man.
The CPD says it later became aware of a “social media video depicting a battery of an adult male which is believed to be the same individual.” In the video, the victim was “tied up.”
“At this point CPD believes the video is credible and detectives are questioning persons of interest in the case.”
The victim was taken to a nearby hospital and is in stable condition, police said.
The victim was determined to be “an endangered missing” from a suburb of Chicago.
Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said that the incident would be investigated as a possible hate crime. “It’s sickening,” he said. “It makes you wonder what would make somebody treat someone like that.”
Johnson also said that there was no immediate evidence that the battery was politically motivated, but that it was too early to tell.
CPD spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said that that four people are currently in custody being interrogated.
Police Commander Kevin Duffin said that the people being detained included two adult males and two adult females. Three of the four were from the city of Chicago.
He also said that the victim was an acquaintance of the suspects, having gone to school with them. The suspects are believed to have stolen a van in the suburbs and brought the victim into the city of Chicago.
Charges are expected within 24 hours.
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