Man beaten on West Side while onlookers yell, 'Don't vote for Trump' speaks out

ByJessica D'Onofrio and Will Jones WLS logo
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Man beaten on West Side speaks out about attack
The victim of a beating caught on cellphone video in which he is taunted for voting for Trump is speaking out as police search for the perpetrators.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police are searching for the people seen brutally beating a driver on the West Side. Video of the attack sparked outrage across the country.

The video shows 49-year-old David Wilcox under attack by a group of teenagers who pulled him out of his car in the 1100-block of South Kedzie Avenue in the city's North Lawndale neighborhood.

"Twenty people on both sides of the bus stop, plus all the cars, but no one did anything to help," Wilcox said.

Police said it started after a traffic-related argument Wednesday afternoon in the city's North Lawndale neighborhood. Wilcox said when he asked the female driver of the other car about her insurance, she threw a punch.

"I wasn't expecting that and the next thing I knew there were three men coming from, I believe, the backseat and I was getting hit from all sides," he said.

In the video, the Wilcox is seen on the ground getting punched and kicked repeatedly by two men as another in the group goes through his car. He is later seen holding onto his car as it's driven away by one of the suspects.

"He was swerving, trying to get me off, and I knew if I let go then I was dead," Wilcox said.

Onlookers taunted the victim for allegedly voting for President-elect Donald Trump. A witness said she heard the victim use a racial slur before the beating. Wilcox denies that he used a racial slur.

Wilcox said he did in fact vote for Trump, but also said his attackers had no way of knowing it. He said he doesn't think his vote was a motivating factor in the attack.

"I did not have a Trump sign on my car. I heard that that was reported, that was untrue. Didn't have a bumper sticker, didn't have a sign or nothing," Wilcox said.

Wilcox was taken to the hospital in good condition with bumps and bruises. People in the neighborhood said what the video captured is unacceptable.

"I don't think they should be fighting or starting violence because somebody voted Trump. But I, myself, think Trump shouldn't be president because he's racist," said Laquanna Moore, a Chicagoan.

Jedidiah Brown, a community activist who recently took part in a Trump protest, condemned the attack.

"You cannot conquer hate with hatred. As I said, anything more than self-defense, that's not who we are. Chicago is better than that," Brown said.

As of Thursday morning, the people involved were still at large. There was a call to action to find them. Community Activist Andrew Holmes passed out fliers Thursday, hoping to help police track them down.

"You need to do the right thing and call and give these individuals up because it's just a matter of time before they're apprehended," Holmes said.

Jake Hernandez saw the aftermath of the attack. He said he hopes the people in the video will be caught.

"That's completely unacceptable. It shouldn't define the character of this neighborhood because that's not what we feel around here," Hernandez said.

Chicago police said they are taking the incident very seriously and said the divisive rhetoric is not acceptable.

"I hope they get caught. I am going to be at every court date," Wilcox said.

Anyone who recognizes the individuals in the video or has information that could lead to their arrest should contact the Chicago Police Department.