Hadi Abu-Atelah, the teen who became a controversial figure after a video went viral showing him being punched by Oak Lawn police officers, is now slapped with felony robbery charges. The incident, which has reignited discussions around policing and community relations, places the now 19-year-old Abu-Atelah, under the scrutiny of the law once again.
Court documents indicate, Abu-Atelah along with two other young men - 19-year-old Sami Hirmiz and 18-year-old Nooh Masoud, are accused of violently robbing a 19-year-old man at a LifeTime Fitness in Orland Park. After allegedly following their victim into a locker room on Dec. 10, the group is said to have punched and kicked him before taking off with his cell phone, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. The victim was left with a dislocated shoulder in the wake of the assault. Police subsequently arrested Abu-Atelah alongside Hirmiz, while Masoud turned himself in later.
Abu-Atelah first grabbed public attention following an arrest in July 2022 when he was seen being brutalized during the police intervention. The footage sparked outrage, especially within the Arab American community that raised concerns over biased policing in Oak Lawn. His attorneys claimed Abu-Atelah suffered extensive injuries from the encounter, including facial fractures and brain swelling, leading to a civil rights lawsuit against the officers and village as stated in the Patch report.
In response to the latest robbery charges, Dennis Doherty, the attorney for co-defendant Hirmiz, challenged the allegations during a detention hearing, arguing, "It's not a robbery. It’s a fight between young men that know each other," Patch quoted. Meanwhile, Abu-Atelah's legal representation has insisted that he departed the scene prior to the assault taking place.
Despite the past and present legal troubles, both Hirmiz and Abu-Atelah have been released on electronic monitoring orders. Oak Lawn Police Officer Patrick O’Donnell, involved in Abu-Atelah's initial beating, faces charges of aggravated battery and official misconduct, with the teen's family also filing a federal lawsuit against him and the Oak Lawn Police Department. As the cases unfold, the legal system will again be the stage where the consequences of that fateful July encounter, and now the alleged robbery, will be thoroughly examined.
