The violent confrontation was captured on video last July, when 17-year-old Hadi Abuatelah was wrestled to the ground by three Oak Lawn police officers who then hit him repeatedly on the head and legs.
Police say the teen fled after a traffic stop, and they later recovered a loaded handgun in a bag he was carrying.An Oak Lawn police officer is facing criminal charges after a video caught him and other officers repeatedly punching a 17-year-old boy during an arrest last summer, prompting outrage in the Arab American community.
Now, a Cook County grand jury led by state's attorney Kim Foxx has indicted Oak Lawn Police Officer Patrick O'Donnell on counts of aggravated battery and official misconduct. Abuatelah stood with his parents at the news conference on Wednesday, and while the family didn't speak, his attorney and Arab American community leaders said they welcome the charges but are hopeful there will be more coming.
"It's not just one officer that violated Hadi's rights, it's not just one officer that took part in the brutal assault. It's three officers, and all three of them need to be charged and all three of them need to be brought to justice," said Muhammad Sankari, Arab-American Action Network. "I just hope this is not hot air. I really hope it ends in a conviction, to go and send a message out that this was not right. The actions were brutal, they were born out of hate, they were heinous," said Zaid Abdallah, family attorney.DAILY NEWSLETTERthat I have read and agree
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