Three men have been charged in the attack on a CBS news crew Monday afternoon along the lakefront, according to Chicago police.
Felony charges were filed against 41-year-old Chicago Ridge resident William Huerta, as well as Chicago residents Rafael Salinas, 29, and Jon Twist, 37, in connection with the attack, police said.
Twist is accused of committing a hate crime, criminal damage to property and also faces one misdemeanor count of resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
Huerta faces felony charges for fleeing and eluding, two counts of aggravated assault of a state employee, one count of reckless driving and one count of leaving the scene of a crime, along with various traffic citations, police said.
Salinas is facing one felony count of aggravated battery of a peace officer, one felony count of criminal damages, one count of reckless driving and one count of resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
Two news station staffers were standing on the sidewalk near the Adler Planetarium in the 900 block of East Solidarity Drive while preparing to go on the air for a newscast when they were approached by at least three unknown men in a white tow truck about 4:30 p.m., according to police.
Twist is accused of yelling slurs while telling a dog to attack a 54-year-old news station staffer, according to Chicago police. When the dog did not follow the command, Twist “became irate” and damaged the victim’s property, throwing it on the ground.
CBS said one of the men smashed the photographer’s camera while another smashed the windshield of a CBS News truck with a traffic cone before fleeing. No injuries were reported.
The men are due in court Thursday.