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| A rally was held in Chicago to urge the attack be seen as a "hate crime." |
THE TEENAGE assailant who yelled racist remarks at a Sikh/American, then beat him has been charged with a hate crime. Initially, the only crime leveled at the young man was "aggravated assault."
DuPage County State's Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced today (Sept. 15) that after further investigation and the discovery of additional evidence, his office has filed an amended juvenile petition in a case involving a Willowbrook teen accused of striking a Sikh/American in the face following a road rage incident last week, just days before American observed the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon.
DuPage County State's Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced today (Sept. 15) that after further investigation and the discovery of additional evidence, his office has filed an amended juvenile petition in a case involving a Willowbrook teen accused of striking a Sikh/American in the face following a road rage incident last week, just days before American observed the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon.
In addition to the Felony Aggravated Battery charges the juvenile is currently facing, one count of Hate Crime, a Class 4 Felony, has been added to the juvenile petition, which could enhance the sentence if the teen is found guilty. Because of the attacker's age, his name has not been released.
At approximately 5:15 p.m., Sept. 8, 2015, Darien police responded to a battery call near Cass and 69th, stated a police press release Upon their arrival, police found Inderjit Mukker located in the front driver's seat of his vehicle suffering from apparent cuts and bruises on his cheeks.
It is alleged that prior to the arrival of the police, Mukker and the defendant were involved in a "road rage" incident instigated by the defendant yelling racial slurs at Mukker. It is further alleged that following the altercation, Mukker and the defendant pulled their vehicles to the side of the road.
It is further alleged that the accused attacker left his vehicle and approached Mukker's vehicle. It is alleged that following an exchange of words between the two, the defendant punched Mukker in the face as he sat in his vehicle.
The teenager then fled the scene. An investigation into the matter led by the Darien Police Department led to the defendant. It is further alleged that when approached by police at his home, the defendant resisted arrest and punched a police officer in the face.
"Crimes based on hatred or prejudices have no place in our society," Berlin said. "Any physical attack motivated in whole or in part by an offender's pre-conceived bias against another individual based on race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation is a crime not only against the victim but against society as a whole. Anyone accused of such behavior will be vigorously prosecuted and held accountable for their actions."
“We are thankful that Robert Berlin and the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office have filed a hate crime charge in this case,” the Sikh Coalition’s Legal Director, Harsimran Kaur said in a statement. “For the Sikh American community, a formal hate crime charge was never about a harsher penalty, but instead prosecuting the crime for what it was. We can’t combat the problem of hatred against minority communities in America unless our elected officials and government agencies acknowledge that the problem exists.”
A court date has not yet been set for the teenage defendant.
Mukker, who was released from the hospital and spoke at a rally after the announcement.
"No Sikh, no American, should ever fear a simple trip to the grocery store. I was attacked because of my brown skin, turbin and a beard. I was assaulted in my car because I am a Sikh," he said.
Sikh groups have reported a surge of hate crimes against people in their community since the September 11 attacks. The U.S. Department of Justice has investigated more than 800 incidents against Sikh, Arab, Muslim and South Asian Americans since 9/11.
"No Sikh, no American, should ever fear a simple trip to the grocery store. I was attacked because of my brown skin, turbin and a beard. I was assaulted in my car because I am a Sikh," he said.
Sikh groups have reported a surge of hate crimes against people in their community since the September 11 attacks. The U.S. Department of Justice has investigated more than 800 incidents against Sikh, Arab, Muslim and South Asian Americans since 9/11.
