Chicago Police Department Apologizes to Rhymefest After Gunpoint Robbery and “Disappointing” Treatment by Police

August 28, 2016, 1:21pm

Photo via Rhymefest on Instagram

Chicago rapper Rhymefest received an apology the Chicago Police yesterday afternoon after posting a video to Twitter of an attempt to report a gunpoint robbery at his local station.

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The Chicago Tribune report that the robbery occurred just after 7:30 AM on Saturday when an unknown man “jumped into Rhymefest’s parked vehicle near the 4300 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, […]pointed a gun at him and demanded his wallet.” Rhymefest says that he handed over his wallet, which contained $3 in cash, before the man ran from the vehicle.

Rhymefest then posted a video of his attempt to report the robbery at his local police station, near Chatham on Chicago’s South Side. In the video, the rapper, whose real name is Che Smith, can be heard describing the incident while police tell that he’s not allowed to film the exchange and that he has to leave leave the station.

You wonder we don’t report crimes? The police treated me disgustingly pic.twitter.com/fY9VQrqDpz
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016

The apology came in the form of a tweet from Police Communications Director Anthony Guglielmi, posted a little before 3 PM yesterday.

@RHYMEFEST disappointing to say the least. On behalf of CPD, I apologize for how you were treated. We will be addressing this today.
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) August 27, 2016

Rhymefest also sent out a series of tweets immediately after the robbery explaining the incident, urging the suspect to contact him personally, and saying that “I’m not even mad, I’m fuckin’ hurt.” You can read those below.

To the young brother that put the gun to my head this morning & took my wallet. You don’t know how you just damaged your community.
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016

It’s 730am. you just put a gun in my face for $3 in my wallet. I defend you against police brutality, I work on your behalf you robbed me
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016

Until our communities have restorative Justice set up, you better make friends with a police officer.
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016

You don’t know what you did! And who you did it to. I lived here on the southside because I thought it mattered. I’m reconsidering
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016

You were gonna shoot me in the face for a wallet, I had the power to give you a job!
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016

I’m not even mad, I’m fuckin’ hurt.
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016

When you look in my Wallet & see the name Che Smith on the ID. DM me, yes contact me apologize and talk to me like a brother.
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016

Give me faith that it’s our desperation & not our hearts thatre dark. The man who robbed me I want to reach out to me If I know him tell him
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016

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Tagged:
anthony guglielmi, apology, chatham, Chicago, Music, Noisey, Noisey News, Rhymefest, robbery, Twitter

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