Officials said they expect to file charges against the four 18-year-olds, two men and two women, within the next 24 hours.
Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson called the video a "brutal act" that was "broadcast for the entire world to see." "It's sickening," Johnson said at a news conference Wednesday night.
"It makes you wonder what would make individuals treat somebody like that. I've been a cop for 28 years and seen things that you shouldn't see in a lifetime, but it still amazes me that you see things that you shouldn't."
The video, which was first aired Tuesday and then put up on YouTube,
showed four young people kicking, slapping and cutting a white male who
was tied up on the floor in the corner of a room.
In the video, the four could be heard laughing, discussing drug use and putting the victim "out of his misery" while the bound victim moaned through his gag. The victim, who police say has special needs, was seen cowering in a corner with his arms tied and mouth taped shut.
The victim, who was reported missing from a Chicago suburb, apparently knew one of the four teenagers and went with them willingly from his home, police said. He was with the group for at least 24 hours, if not longer, they said.
After the torture, the teenagers released the man.
A local police on patrol later found the victim disoriented while
walking through a Chicago neighborhood, Johnson said. He was taken to a
nearby hospital for his injuries and trauma.
"Thanks to the outstanding work of the 11th district police officers and area north detectives all four offenders from the incident are in police custody and awaiting formal charges," Johnson said. "The victim, who is not a Chicago resident, is currently recovering from the incident."The Chicago police released a statement:
The four suspects had been arrested on unrelated battery charges later in the day, he said.
Investigators were then able to connect the two incidents through the Facebook Live video.
It took police most of the night to get the full story from the victim
because he had such a difficult time communicating due to trauma
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