CHICAGO — Mayor Rahm Emanuel said a Chicago Police officer didn't act appropriately when dealing with Grammy-winning rapper Rhymefest after he was robbed this weekend and will be disciplined.
Che "Rhymefest" Smith tweeted that he had a gun put to his head early Saturday, and then was treated "disgustingly" by a Chicago police officer when he tried to file a report.
CPD apologized over the weekend, and the mayor on Monday said that officer is in hot water.
"The issue should be that he was held up at gunpoint," Emanuel said. "It shouldn't be how a guy came in to do a citizen's report on what happened to him and [have] it become the event.
"Had that officer acted appropriately, we'd be dealing right now with who did the mugging, which is where we should be," Emanuel said.
Smith is a former Kanye West collaborator who has previously run for alderman on the South Side.
RELATED: Rhymefest Gets Apology From Cops Over 'Disgusting' Response To Robbery
After the robbery, Smith went to a police station, where he said an officer ate and played the game "Candy Crush" while he tried to talk to her about the robbery. He said the encounter highlights why black residents are uneasy with reporting crimes or working with police.
A police spokesman apologized to Smith over Twitter this weekend, and a top police official reached, Emanuel said at an unrelated press conference in Belmont Cragin Monday.
Emanuel said police should be more sympathetic to victims of violent crimes.
"You have a responsibility to hear them and treat them fairly," he said of victims.
The mayor said Smith's interaction with police highlights the work that still needs to be done to better police and community relations. He said leadership is needed to root out such behavior and that training likely needs to be tweaked.
"It does show us that our work is not done," he said.
The hip hop artist said on Twitter that at 7:30 a.m. Saturday 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.
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
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