Emma Melton, ESQ. of the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Abuatelah against the village of Oak Lawn and the three officers involved in the beating.

“We all saw the footage,” Melton said. “I’ve seen it from multiple different angles, from the squad car cameras to the bystander videos, and at no point do I see him reaching for a gun. Hearing that the chief of police agreed with this level of use of force and how these officers interacted with Hadi shows that this is something that could and probably will happen again.

Melton says Arab-American residents have long complained about the Oak Lawn Police Department.

“A lot of the police officers in that area are actually White, and so when dealing with people from another background, sometimes a lot of cultural awareness and sensitivity can be lost,” Melton said.