Crime & Safety
Man Faces Hate Crime Charges After Attack On Store Clerk: Report
The man punched a clerk and uttered racial and antisemitic slurs at a local convenience store, according to a news outlet.
LA GRANGE PARK, IL – A La Grange Park man is accused of assaulting a convenience store clerk and making racist and anti-immigrant comments, CWB Chicago reported over the weekend.
The man was identified as 29-year-old Christopher Lesiak, who leveled slurs against African Americans, Jews and Mexicans, the news outlet said.
The incident was said to have occurred May 22 at 7-Eleven, 704 E. 31st St.
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CWB Chicago reported that Lesiak was accused of punching the clerk in the face and neck. Lesiak faces felony hate crime charges.
In an email to Patch, Riverside's former police chief, Tom Weitzel, commended the La Grange Park Police Department's handling of the incident.
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"An immediate and determined response by law enforcement is vital not only for stabilizing and reassuring the community but also for fostering the healing process for the victim involved," Weitzel said. "On the contrary, delaying action against hate crimes can jeopardize public safety, leaving communities vulnerable and subjecting law enforcement agencies to increased scrutiny and potential legal repercussions."
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