Chicago crime: 1 suspect still at large year after Jewish students attacked on DePaul campus; Adam Erkan faces hate crime charges
It has been a year since two men attacked Israeli Defense Forces reserve staff sergeant Max Long and his friend Michael Kaminsky in broad daylight on the DePaul University campus.
One of the accused attackers is in custody facing hate crime charges. The other is still at large.
Both students are calling on action from Chicago police to find the second offender, speaking with the ABC7 I-Team.
That brazen daylight attack on the campus of DePaul, where a pair of masked men assaulted IDF soldier Max Long and Michael Kaminsky, knocked Long to the ground, giving him a concussion, and Kaminsky's arm required surgery. Now, the two are reflecting on their life altering experience with the I-Team.
"It's a real game of, how do I find my way to continue moving forward? You know, I keep saying this, that healing in motion. I feel like since, you know, really, since October 7, that's what we've had to do, you know, is heal in motion," said Max Long.
One man accused of attacking them, Adam Erkan, is facing felony hate crime charges and is still being held in custody. But his suspected accomplice in the attack remains at large, one year later. The I-Team was out on campus Thursday where there is no longer any visible private security presence.
"We really, really need to call on law enforcement to continue doing their job, continue trying to find these attackers and bringing hard, swift justice, not just for the victims, but also to ensure that hate has no place and should not be tolerated in Chicago," Michael Kaminsky told the I-Team.
In video from a year ago, you see Long and Kaminsky approached by two masked men and beaten before the men ran off.
DePaul University is asking for a judge to dismiss a legal case brought by Long and Kaminsky.
"Essentially, DePaul is trying to avoid liability by arguing that it had no duty to protect Max and Michael against the violent ambush on their campus that left them injured and their lives forever changed a year ago today, obviously, we strongly disagree," said Jaclyn Clark, an attorney with The Lawfare Project.
Long told the I-Team he is taking a leave of absence from his studies at DePaul because he says he's faced continued threats on campus and in open court while waiting to hear an update in Adam Erkan's case.
"While waiting for them to call his docket, I get threatened by a friend of his, who, you know, telling me, I'm going to get what's coming to me for all of the atrocities I committed in Gaza, and that just because I'm in the U.S. doesn't mean I'm safe," said Long. "It makes it impossible for me to feel comfortable on campus. What's stopping that person from doing the same thing again?"
"If we're not talking about it and we were victims of it, then who's going to be talking about it for us? And I think it really starts with us," said Kaminsky, who is set to graduate next year.
Chicago police say there are no updates at this time, and the investigation is ongoing. We reached out to Adam Erkan's attorney, and he said he's still working on the case. Erkan will be back in court November 17th.
In a statement to the I-Team, a DePaul spokesperson said:
"At DePaul University, we condemn antisemitism in all its forms and will continue to stand firm in doing so, in line with our Catholic values. Acts of hate and violence have no place at DePaul.
"Over the past year, DePaul has implemented new policies and initiatives to confront antisemitism and to ensure that the university is a safe and welcoming community for our Jewish students, including:
- Hiring a special advisor on Jewish engagement
- Investing in safety enhancements and commissioning an external review of safety protocols and procedures
- Implementing an Identity Verification Policy"
More information is available at https://stopantisemitism.depaul.edu , including a progress report on efforts to combat antisemitism.
