CHICAGO — Grammy-winning musician Che "Rhymefest" Smith said he was robbed at gunpoint early Saturday in Chicago, and police are now publicly apologizing for officers' response when he tried to file a report.
The hip hop artist said on Twitter that at 7:30 a.m. he was sitting in his car at 43rd Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue when a man got inside, pointed a gun at his head and demanded his wallet.
Smith said he gave the wallet to the man and the robber got out of the car and ran away.
"I defend you against police brutality, I work on your behalf," Smith wrote on Twitter. "You robbed me. ... You don't know how much you just damaged your community.
"I'm not even mad, I'm f-----' hurt," he said.
Smith went to the police to report the crime, but he was treated "disgustingly" there, he wrote on Twitter. An officer ate and played the game "Candy Crush" while he tried to talk to her about the robbery, he said.
"The first thing that I did was come here to the police station, sir," Smith told an officer in a video he posted on Twitter.
You wonder we don't report crimes? The police treated me disgustingly pic.twitter.com/fY9VQrqDpz
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016
Anthony Guglielmi, communications director for the Chicago Police, apologized to Smith on Twitter for how he was treated when filing a report.
@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
In a string of tweets, Smith said he hoped the man who robbed him would contact him so they could talk.
"Give me faith that it's our desperation and not our hearts that [are] dark," he wrote.
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
