'Concentrated plan': Judge orders suspect detained in DePaul attack on Jewish students

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A judge has ordered the man accused of attacking two Jewish students on DePaul University's Lincoln Park campus to be detained.

Adam Erkan, 20, is facing aggravated battery and hate crime charges nearly five months after the attack.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Chicago police allege it was Erkan, a student studying cybersecurity at Triton College, who beat students Max Long and Michael Kaminsky, one of them an Israeli soldier, late last year, leaving them with a concussion and broken wrist.

Video shows that violent encounter from Nov. 6. It shows two masked men beat and knock down Long and Kaminsky.

The two said they were advocating for conversation outside the university's Student Center about the Israel-Hamas War.

SEE ALSO | Suspect charged with hate crime in attack of 2 Jewish DePaul students on campus, officials say

On Thursday, a judge ordered Erkan to be detained in Cook County Jail until his next hearing April 22 in Skokie, calling him a danger.

Judge James Costello said he couldn't think of a scenario to release Erkan and guarantee students' safety.

In court, prosecutors spelled out the details of Erkan's movements in what the judge deemed a "concentrated plan."

Prosecutors said Erkan, cloaked in a ski mask, initiated a conversation with Long.

The second suspect, who remains at large, knocked Long to the ground, unconscious, prosecutors said.

As that happened, prosecutors say Erkan beat Kaminsky, and they say both attackers continued to beat Long and Kaminsky before running off.

Prosecutors say Erkan and his co-assailant's sprint from campus was captured on surveillance video. Some of the clothes the second man is seen wearing, they say, were found in a trashcan nearby, and video shows Erkan's SUV speeding off.

Erkan has hired a private attorney.

His father, who lives in New Jersey, was also in court Thursday.

Prosecutors said Erkan was seen near the scene in a car registered to his father, and that's partially how he was tracked down.

Prosecutors said Erkan's father identified his son in surveillance video in February.

The vehicle was traced to Hoffman Estates.

"All the sudden, I saw three black SUVs blocking the silver SUV," neighbor Andrea English said.

English saw investigators surround the car outside a home where prosecutors say Erkan was living with friends.

"About a month ago, police came to our house, asking 'who Iives there?'" English said.

Another suspect remains at large, who was in Tinley Park for part of the day of the attack, prosecutors said.

Erkan and the other suspect spoke on the phone that day, prosecutors said.

Police have a warrant for Erkan's phone and watch, but have not yet been able to access them.

Erkan has been ordered not to have contact with the victims or witnesses in the attack.

He has no prior criminal history, his attorney said.

Josh Weiner, co-founder of the Chicago Jewish Alliance, told the I-Team his organization discussed five initiatives with DePaul University President Robert L. Manuel during a Thursday meeting, which took place around the same time that the hate crime suspect was in court.

"The meeting was in in relation to the campus climate that led to Max and Michael actually being attacked," Weiner said.

"It was gracious that they gave us time and that they listened to us. We do feel like we were heard," Daniel Schwartz said.

The victims said Erkan's arrest goes part way to restoring a sense of security.

"There was five months of looking over our shoulder every single day, and what Max and I continue to do because we know that there's still another perpetrator out there," Kaminsky said.

"There's still an issue of why this happened in the first place, and that, yes, these were two individuals that attacked us, but this was an attempt to silence us and what we were doing," Long said.

The two are suing DePaul over what they say are profound safety and security failures.

In a statement, DePaul said, "We are extremely grateful for the work of the police who investigated this case and apprehended the suspect. The suspect is not a member of the DePaul community. We are also grateful to the prosecutors in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office for ensuring the suspect will have to account for his actions in court. Acts of hate and violence have no place at DePaul. We condemn antisemitism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with those affected by this reprehensible act. For more on how DePaul is confronting antisemitism, please visit go.depaul.edu/stopantisemitism."

Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement Thurday, "I am deeply disturbed by this antisemitic attack. While CPD continues to investigate, I want to be clear: hate has no place in our city.

"As our Jewish neighbors and friends commemorate Passover, we stand with them in condemning this hateful incident and reaffirm our commitment to working toward a world where we eradicate all forms of hate and prejudice."