A Chicago man was arrested Tuesday, July 20, and later charged with a hate crime after allegedly attacking a 19-year-old boy with autism. He also shouted racial slurs at the young man and an off-duty Chicago police officer.
The Chicago Tribune reports that Philipp T. Jordt, 44, who is white, was standing at a urinal inside the bathroom at Pete’s Fresh Grocery Market when he allegedly began yelling racial slurs at the teen, who is Black and was not identified. The young man was washing his hands at the time the incident occurred, the report stated.
“Jordt allegedly tried to prevent the 19-year-old from leaving the bathroom and punched him in the stomach while continuing to yell racial slurs,” Illinois Assistant State’s Attorney Darryl Auguste said to the newspaper in a statement. “The 19-year-old exited the bathroom after a struggle in which he punched Jordt at least once, knocking him to the ground.” Surveillance then showed the ex-Marine following the victim out the bathroom while continuing to throw punches, though Auguste noted that Jordt didn’t make contact.
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The 19-year-old’s grandmother, who was waiting for him outside the bathroom, claimed Jordt continued to make offensive remarks at her grandson even after they left the restroom. Comments included statements such as “White people built this country.” Ultimately two off duty-police officers who worked as security guards at the store were able to separate the pair. The outlet revealed that as Jordt was being escorted out of the store, he reportedly called one of the female officers, who is also Black, a racial slur.
The former Marine admitted to his actions revealing that he was intoxicated at the time. However, after being put in custody, he seemingly doubled back on his actions, explaining that he “does not have a problem with all Black people, just certain ones when they act a certain way,” according to prosecutors.
Judge John Lyke, who presided over Jordt’s case, responded to his admission of intoxication, stating, “What I’ve heard growing up is that alcohol is a truth serum. It tends to expose who you are.”
