Gun charges kept against teen, now under curfew after violent Oak Lawn police arrest caught on video

Thursday, August 25, 2022
Gun charges against teen stand after violent arrest caught on video
Gun charges will stand against teen Hadi Abuatelah. A judge gave him a curfew after his violent Oak Lawn Police Department arrest was caught on video.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Gun charges against 17-year old Hadi Abuatelah will stand after Cook County officials opted to move forward with their criminal case against the teen following his violent arrest by Oak Lawn police last month.

"The crime that was committed against Hadi is the crime that we're saying needs to be prosecuted," said Muhammad Sankari of the Arab American Action Network.

Police dashcam video shows the July 27 incident after officers pulled over a car the teen was in to investigate what they say was the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle.

SEE MORE: Oak Lawn police release dashcam video that shows officers hitting teen during arrest

A protest was held in Oak Lawn, IL today after video shows police officers hitting 17-year-old Hadi Abuadaleh as they tried to take him into custody.

That footage shows the teen running. Cellphone video of the arrest captured the teen on the ground as officers hit him multiple times. Oak Lawn police said their officers thought Abuatelah was reaching for a gun. Investigators said police found a weapon in a bag the teen had.

"This type of policing cannot be tolerated, cannot be accepted," said Rainbow Push Coalition National Field Director Bishop Tavis Grant.

Hadi was badly hurt during the arrest. His family said he spent four in the hospital with internal bleeding in his brain, numerous broken bones and bruising. He's now recovering at home.

The teen has been charged as a juvenile with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and resisting arrest.

RELATED: Charges filed against teen injured in violent arrest by Oak Lawn police

Oak Lawn police said they are cooperating with the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Taskforce investigation of the incident that was requested by the Cook County State's Attorney Office.

"The state's attorney needs to move against those officers because otherwise it will be left to the Illinois State Police to investigate, and that's the worm investigating it tail," said Joe Iosbaker of the Chicago Alliance Against Racists and Political Repression

Abuatelah's parents have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the unnamed officers.

The judge gave Hadi a 10 p.m. curfew. His next court date is Sept. 22.