Bond Set At $50K For Teens Charged With Hate Crime
CHICAGO (STMW) - Bond was set at $50,000 for two teens charged along with a juvenile with a hate crime after making derogatory statements and threatening someone Thursday night near Millennium Park.
The victim, a male of an unidentified age, called police about 8 p.m. after the three accosted him in the 100 block of North Michigan Avenue at a Metra station, according to police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala.
The Millennium Station on the Metra Electric Line is located on Michigan Avenue between South Water and Randolph streets, according to Metra's website.
"They harassed him and used derogatory remarks; they threatened him,'' said Zala. "Their comments were in violation of the hate crime statute.''
Zala would not confirm reports the comments were anti-gay in nature.
The victim was not physically harmed, and he contacted police as the three fled.
When officers arrived, the victim gave them the description and police apprehended them a shortly while later in the 600 block of North Michigan Avenue, Zala said.
Mack Heard, 17, of the 5000 block of Harvard Lane in Richton Park and Kendrick L. Towner, 18, of the 5200 block of Deana Lane also in Richton Park, were charged with one felony count each of hate crime and one misdemeanor count each of aggravated assault in a public place, according to Zala.
A 14-year-old boy was charged with one felony count of hate crime and one misdemeanor count of aggravated assault in a public place, the officer said.
Bond has been set at $50,000 for Towner and Heard, according to the Cook County Sheriff's office.
Their next court date was set for July 14 at Branch 42, 2452 W. Belmont Ave.
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