Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Off-Duty Cop Charged After Pinning Down Latino Teen He Wrongly Accused Of Stealing Son's Bike

Off-Duty Cop Charged After Pinning Down Latino Teen He Wrongly Accused Of Stealing Son's Bike
NBC News/YouTube

A Chicago police sergeant who was off-duty has been charged after he was caught on video pinning down a 14-year-old boy of Puerto Rican descent in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge.

The police sergeant—who is White—claimed the teen was stealing his son's bike.


The Chicago Sun Times reported Sergeant Michael Vitellaro is facing felony charges of official misconduct and aggravated battery tied to the July 1, 2022 incident according to Park Ridge police.

The teen was sitting on his bike with some friends outside a Starbucks in Park Ridge before the assault. According to witness statements, the teen attempted to move Vitellaro's son's bike out of their way.

Vitellaro approached the boy and forced him to the pavement while pulling his arms behind his back before kneeling on him.

The teen's family released video footage of the aftermath, believing the incident to be racially motivated. The parents said their son is a straight A student and a 3 sport athlete who is active in his church.

The boy assaulted by Vitellaro was the only BIPOC in the group of teens.

The boy's parents, Angel and Nicole Nieves, issued a statement saying the charges against Vitellaro “are an accurate reflection of what we all saw on the video: An abuse of power, not just without probable cause but with zero cause.“

The statement continued:

"There is absolutely no room in our community for this type of unnecessary aggression against our children and we are grateful for today’s progress.”

At Thursday's court hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Mary McDonnell said the incident began when Vitellaro was informed his 13-year-old son's bike was stolen from the Park Ridge Public Library around 5:15 p.m on July 1.

When Vitellaro learned the stolen bike was spotted near a Starbucks at 100 S. Northwest Highway, he went to the location hoping to find the culprit. When Vitellaro saw Nieves' son touch the bike belonging to his son, Vitellaro subsequently approached him and put the boy in an “arm bar” and placed a knee on his back.

You can watch a clip of the incident here:

WARNING: violence against a minor

Vitellaro could be heard saying:

"He’s taking my son’s bike."

The boy's friends replied:

"No, he's not."

They tried to get their friend away from Vitellaro.



When Vitellaro called 911, he said he was an off-duty police officer and needed help.

When an adult female bystander asked why Vitellaro was on top of the boy, he insisted the teen had stolen his son's bike.

Vitellaro eventually took his knee off the boy, and his friends pulled him up. Crying and visibly upset, the boy walked away while Vitellaro followed him around while the boy asked him to stop.

Vitellaro told responding Park Ridge police officers the 14-year-old was a bike thief, but after reviewing Starbucks' surveillance footage, it clearly showed the bike was already at the coffee shop before the teen and his friends even arrived.

You can watch an NBC News report of the incident here:

youtu.be

The next day, Vitellaro filed Chicago police reports labeling the incident as an “off-duty arrest" and describing the teen as the "offender" who was not complying with orders.

A Chicago police spokesperson said Vitellaro was relieved of his duties on Wednesday.

The police department and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability are both investigating his actions.

The boy's mother, Nicole Nieves, told NBC News:

"This is a situation where he faced something egregious and tragic, and he did happen to be the only Brown boy there."
"So that's an important factor of how we are processing this as a family."

The family's attorney, Antonio Romanucci, said at Thursday's news conference the Nieves have called for Vitellaro’s dismissal and they are preparing to file a civil lawsuit in the future.

Unsure of how the incident had impacted her son, the mother told WMAQ:

“I would say this is going to have a long-term effect on him."
"But so far, he’s showing some good signs of being able to process and move forward.”

Vitellaro's next court date is set for September 8.

More from Trending

Kimberly Landry Coates; chemtrails
WVUE Fox 8 New Orleans/YouTube

MAGA Lawmaker Tries To Explain What 'Chemtrails' Are After Proposing Bonkers Ban—And It Doesn't Go Well

MAGA Republican lawmakers in the Louisiana House of Representatives passed state bill 46 (SB46) on May 29 to ban "chemtrails" in Louisiana airspace.

One of the bill's major proponents, MAGA Representative Kimberly Landry Coates, claimed SB46 was necessary because "chemtrails" are altering the weather. Speaking on the House floor, Coates said she is concerned about the white streaks she has seen in the sky, claiming they create clouds and affect weather patterns.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bert and Ernie from "Sesame Street"
Lennart Preiss/dpa (Photo by Lennart Preiss/picture alliance via Getty Images

MAGA Is Melting Down After 'Sesame Street' Shared A Sweet Post About Pride Month

Sesame Street was attacked by homophobic conservatives after the program took to X to celebrate the start of Pride Month by stressing that "everyone is welcome."

The beloved children's program published the following message to accompany a picture showing Sesame Street characters' clasping each other hands to represent its commitment to inclusivity:

Keep ReadingShow less
Lindsey Graham; Greta Thunberg
Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images; Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images

Lindsey Graham Slammed For Posting Casually Cruel Threat Aimed At Greta Thunberg

South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was widely condemned on X after he tweeted a threat aimed at Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who is part of a flotilla that's attempting to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The vessel, named Madleen, is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), a nonprofit known for organizing maritime missions to challenge Israel’s control over Gaza’s coastal access. Organizers of the effort described it not as a charitable delivery but as a form of nonviolent protest against what they called “Israel’s illegal siege and escalating war crimes.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Man whispering 'Shh' with a finger pressed against his lips
Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash

People Reveal Their Biggest F**k Ups They Refuse To Admit Until Their Death Bed

Everyone makes mistakes, but sometimes we make a mistake that we'd rather take at least to our deathbed, if not even our grave.

Already cringing at the possibilities, Redditor deadend-decendant asked:

Keep ReadingShow less
The Fifteenth Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa attending the 2025 Met Gala celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”
Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images

Ncuti Gatwa's Emotional Exit

Haydi ama!

Ncuti Gatwa’s stint as the groundbreaking Fifteenth Doctor has come to a surprising end in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The Rwandan-Scottish actor was first announced as the next regeneration of the Time Lord, marking the first time an African-born and openly queer actor had been cast in the role.

Keep ReadingShow less