Larry York, a 46-year-old resident of Lombard, Illinois, was arrested and denied pretrial release after allegedly verbally assaulting two Muslim men on Thursday. According to a DuPage County news release, York faces two counts of hate crime, designated as a Class 4 Felony.
The report states that York approached a vehicle parked at an apartment complex, where one of the victims was waiting for his friend. He questioned the victim about his presence and proceeded to use derogatory language, suggesting that the man did not belong in the country. It is also claimed that York physically assaulted the vehicle by punching its window. Following this, York allegedly confronted another individual in the building’s lobby, making threatening remarks. The confrontation escalated when York purportedly disrupted a bench, causing one of the men to fall. Furthermore, York is said to have threatened to shoot both men while using disparaging language.
DuPage County State’s Attorney, Robert Berlin, strongly condemned such actions, emphasizing that hate crimes have no place in society. He praised the Lombard Police Department for their swift response and arrest of the suspect. Additionally, he acknowledged Assistant State’s Attorneys Alyssa Rabulinski and Christina Kye for their efforts in building a case against York.
Ahmed Rehab, the executive director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their prompt action. He emphasized the rising number of hate incidents reported to CAIR-Chicago, stating that the community is experiencing heightened levels of apprehension.
This incident follows another recent episode in Illinois, where an individual was charged with both murder and hate crimes. In that case, the accused allegedly stabbed a 6-year-old boy, resulting in the child’s death, and injured his mother. Authorities believe the crime was motivated by the Israel-Hamas conflict and the victims’ Muslim identity.
