Man pleads guilty to battery in attack on Jewish students on DePaul Lincoln Park campus
Adam Erkan sentenced to probation for 2 years, along with 100 hours of community service
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Just over a year after two men attacked Israeli Defense Forces Reserve Staff Sgt. Max Long and his friend, Michael Kaminsky, in broad daylight on the DePaul University campus, one of the men charged pleaded guilty to a charge in the case.
Adam Erkan was facing felony hate crime charges, and was being held in custody.
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He pleaded guilty to battery/causing bodily harm Tuesday, and was sentenced to probation for two years, along with 100 hours of community service.
The other attacker remains at large.
Both Jewish students were recently calling for action from Chicago police to find the second suspect, speaking with the ABC7 Chicago I-Team.
That brazen daylight attack on the campus of DePaul, where a pair of masked men assaulted IDF soldier Long and Kaminsky knocked Long to the ground, giving him a concussion, and Kaminsky's arm required surgery.
The I-Team was out on campus earlier this month, where there is no longer any visible private security presence.
In video from a year ago, you see Long and Kaminsky approached by two masked men and beaten before the men ran off.
DePaul University is asking for a judge to dismiss a legal case brought by Long and Kaminsky.
Long told the I-Team he is taking a leave of absence from his studies at DePaul because he says he's faced continued threats on campus and in open court while waiting to hear an update in Erkan's case.
"While waiting for them to call his docket, I get threatened by a friend of his, who, you know, telling me, I'm going to get what's coming," Long said. "It makes it impossible for me to feel comfortable on campus. What's stopping that person from doing the same thing again?"
"If we're not talking about it and we were victims of it, then who's going to be talking about it for us? And I think it really starts with us," said Kaminsky, who is set to graduate next year.
Chicago police recently said there were no updates, and the investigation is ongoing.
Gerard Filitti, senior counsel at The Lawfare Project, said in a statement:
"One attacker has now admitted guilt for brutally assaulting two Jewish students at DePaul University. That is a step toward justice, but it is nowhere near enough. The second attacker remains at large, and Max and Michael continue to experience ongoing threats. The Chicago Police Department knows the identity of the second attacker, and we demand - and fully expect - his swift arrest and prosecution in order to ensure justice for these students and for the Jewish community harmed by this antisemitic hate crime. Accountability begins with acknowledging the truth, and today's guilty plea confirms the details of this bias attack."
