Man Who Berated Woman In Puerto Rico Shirt Charged With Hate Crime
CHICAGO (CBS) -- 62-year-old Timothy Trybus is facing two counts of felony hate crime for berating a woman for wearing a Puerto Rico shirt, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.
A bond hearing is set for Friday in Skokie at 1:30 p.m. The felony hate crime charges are enhancements on the charges of misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor disorderly conduct he was originally charged with after the incident.
The woman, identified as Mia Irizarry, recorded incident on her cell phone at Caldwell Woods in June.
In the video, Trybus can be heard saying, "You should not be wearing that in the United States of America. Ok. Are you a citizen?"
Irizarry can be heard responding, "Can you please get away from me? Officer, officer, I feel highly uncomfortable," repeatedly asking Officer Patrick Connor, standing nearby, to do something about the incident.
In an interview on Thursday, Irizarry said she was wearing the shirt because it was Puerto Rican pride weekend. She had rented the space to celebrate her 24th birthday.
The officer was already on the scene for a separate call, Irizarry said. She never called police herself. She said it took two hours before officers arrested Trybus for disorderly conduct.
The officer "needs to be reprimanded because my life was put at risk," Irizarry said. "We should be able to depend on a police officer to control the situation."
The video, posted on Facebook, has been viewed millions of times.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez took to the U.S. House floor to address the incident: "Some now feel it is their right, their privilege and maybe their duty to go off in public.
"I wonder where they get such an idea? When our president calls Puerto Ricans lazy and expensive to help, it hurts our nation."
"All of the lying, hostility and racism is taking a toll on our country."
"If you see hate, stand up and speak," the congressman added.
In the part of the video that went viral, Officer Connor's voice is never heard and he apparently does nothing. The officer involved in the incident resigned from his position Wednesday night.
In a statement Thursday, Forest Preserve Supt. Arnold Randall said: "Conner was not allowed on patrol duty immediately following the incident. Further, his personnel file will reflect that this officer did not resign in good standing, with a note indicating he left the district with discipline pending."
General Superintendent Arnold Randall also stated, "We at the Forest Preserves of Cook County applaud the State's Attorney decision to file hate crime charges against Timothy Trybus. Our officers made the arrest today and we will continue to support the prosecution of this matter."
Randall said the Forest Preserve refunded Irizarry permit fee and apologized.
