Three white Chicago teenagers have been arrested and charged with committing a hate crime, unlawful restraint and battery after placing a noose around a 17 year-old Black classmate’s neck, and threatening him with a knife.

The victim, Joshue Merritt, had been invited to the home of one of his attackers, unexpectedly walking into a trap.

The attackers were apparently upset with Merritt’s supposed relationship with one of their white, female cousins.

From the Chicago Tribune:

“Merritt, a senior at Brother Rice High School, said everything seemed normal when he first arrived.

He said he and the others were talking about music before the others started using racist terms, including the N-word, against him.

Then one of the teens approached from behind and slipped a rope fashioned into a noose around his neck, he said.

After getting out of the noose, Merritt and police said he tried to escape, but the others blocked the doors.

‘I couldn’t believe that they were doing this,’ said Merritt, wearing a maroon Brother Rice jacket over his white shirt and black tie. ‘I just (felt) trapped inside there.’

The situation seemed to calm down a bit, Merritt said. He said he told the others, ‘Guys, stop. Please. This isn’t funny.’

That’s when one of the teens put the noose around his neck a second time, he said.”

Read the rest of this article at ChicagoTribune.com

 

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