$5K reward offered after brutal attack on Iraq War veteran at Chicago grocery
Authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for information that would lead to the arrest of individuals behind a violent attack on an Iraq War veteran at a grocery store in Chicago’s South Loop last week.
Key points:
- Kevin Qin, 41, suffered multiple injuries after being beaten by a group of at least eight people at a Jewel-Osco store located at Wabash Avenue and Roosevelt Road on May 21.
- The victim and community leaders are urging Chicago police to investigate the attack as a hate crime.
The details:
- The incident occurred at around 11:30 p.m. While entering the store, Qin maneuvered around an exiting female shopper, who suddenly sucker punched him.
- The initial assault escalated as other people joined in, punching and kicking Qin until he briefly lost consciousness. He told WLS:
“I was just trying to get in the store, minding my own business, and next thing I know just all hell breaks loose. It was a vicious attack, something I never thought I would experience in my life. It was just one person to start with, but out of nowhere there were seven or eight people just kind of gang up on me. Some from the front, some from the back.”
- A bystander then intervened, allowing Qin to escape and call the police. He was taken to Stroger Hospital for treatment of multiple injuries, including a concussion and damages to his elbow, wrist and knee.
- The war veteran, who is Chinese American, believes the assault may have been racially motivated due to a racial comment made by the attackers. Speaking to CBS 2, he recalled one of them saying “Yo, this Chinese (expletive) is like trying to gang up on me or something.”
- Qin and community leaders are urging authorities to investigate the incident as a hate crime. A $5,000 reward has been announced to help capture his assailants.
- Jewel-Osco has cooperated with the investigation by providing surveillance footage. Police are still determining a motive.
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