SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – A hate crime suspect accused of threatening police officers has been formally indicted by a grand jury.
A Wednesday press release said Eric S. Pippen, 49, faces charges of armed violence, aggravated battery, threatening a public official and hate crimes. He’s accused of using a bludgeon to assault a man on Nov. 14 in Springfield.
Prosecutors said he then spit on two Springfield officers who responded to the area, leading to the aggravated battery charge. The two hate crime charges against Pippen came after he assaulted the victim and battered a responding officer “by reason of their race”, according to Sangamon County State’s Attorney Dan Wright.
Pippen is also accused of making death threats against an officer and lunging at them, leading to the threatening a public official count.
Police said they found brass knuckles on Pippen when they arrived at the scene.
“Hate crimes of any kind will be met with zero tolerance and aggressively prosecuted,” Wright said. “There is absolutely no place for such conduct in our community.”
