Philipp T. Jordt ( Twiter photo )

Racist white man charged with hate crime and battery after attacking black teen with autism in a grocery store bathroom

By Edward Era Barbacena

A Near West Side man was charged with a hate crime and battery for allegedly attacking a 19-year-old who has autism, and yelling racial slurs at the teen and an off-duty Chicago police officer, both of whom are Black.

Philipp T. Jordt, 44, who is white, was standing at a urinal in the Pete’s Fresh Market grocery store bathroom on the Near West Side when he allegedly began calling out racial slurs to the 19-year-old, who was washing his hands, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Darryl Auguste

Jordt also allegedly stated “white people built this country,” Auguste said.

“I’m quite certain there are a lot of African Americans who would beg to differ with that,” Judge John Lyke said.

Jordt allegedly tried to prevent the 19-year-old from leaving the bathroom and punched him in the stomach while continuing to yell racial slurs, Auguste said. The 19-year-old exited the bathroom after a struggle in which he punched Jordt at least once, knocking him to the ground.

Surveillance video shows Jordt allegedly following the man out of the bathroom and continuing to throw punches, although he didn’t make contact, according to Auguste. There is no audio on the video, but a witness, the 19-year-old’s grandmother, who was waiting outside the bathroom, accused Jordt of calling the man racial slurs outside the bathroom. The surveillance video also did not capture the altercation in the bathroom.

Two off-duty Chicago police officers who work as security at the grocery store separated the two, Auguste said.

Jordt allegedly called one officer racial slurs as she escorted him out of the store, Auguste said.

Jordt admitted to being intoxicated after officers placed him in custody, Auguste said.

“What I’ve heard growing up is that alcohol is a truth serum,” Lyke said. “It tends to expose who you are.”

After he was put into custody, Jordt allegedly said he does not have a problem with all Black people, just certain ones when they act a certain way,  but on his tweeter account,  Jordt posted alot of hatred towards black people.

Posted by Philipp T. Jordt expressing strong hatred against black people

Jordt, a former Marine, has never been convicted of a crime although he has a pending misdemeanor trespassing charge, Auguste said. He was discharged from the Marines under “other conditions,” meaning he was neither honorably nor dishonorably discharged, according to Lyke.

He works as a security guard and has lived in Cook County with his wife for three years, Assistant Public Defender Jessica Hunter said.

“I do believe that there is much more than meets the eye here about the interaction between the complaining witness and my client,” Hunter said.

Bail was set at $150,000, which means he must post 10% in order to be released with electronic monitoring. Lyke also executed the warrant for his outstanding misdemeanor, which carried a $500 bond.

Jordt’s next court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday.