THIS is the harrowing moment a gang of black teenagers, including two girls, allegedly held a special-needs man hostage and tortured him while streaming the sick footage live on Facebook.

The group of four appearing in the video, were identified and charged with committing a hate crime on Thursday as a result of their shocking behaviour.

12 The horrific 30-minute video of the man, who police say has special needs, being 'tortured' was live streamed on Facebook Credit: Facebook

12 One of the attackers can be seen using a knife to brutally cut the victim's hair Credit: Facebook

12 In the video, the teenagers - all said to be 18 - hit and punch him after allegedly taking him hostage Credit: Facebook

According to Cooks County State's Attorney Office, Jordan Hill, 18; Tesfaye Cooper, 18; and sisters Brittany, 18, and Tanisha Covington, 24, were charged with aggravated unlawful restraint, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery and a hate crime

Hill, Cooper and Brittany Covington were also given the additional charges of residential burglary, and Hill also faced a charge of robbery and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

The four friends were arrested in Chicago, Illinois, after police were made aware of the 30-minute video on social media.

A police spokesman said they had copped to the torture in interviews with cops and none of them had expressed remorse.

12 Brittany Herring, pictured, live streamed the footage to Facebook but it has since been deleted Credit: Facebook

12 Another woman can be seen in the footage, which police were made aware of after the alleged kidnap on Tuesday Credit: Facebook

In a press conference on Thursday, Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said: "The actions in that video are reprehensible. That along with racism have absolutely no place in the city of Chicago or anywhere else for that matter, against anyone regardless of their race, gender, state of mental health or any other identifying factor."

The live stream - originally posted by Brittany Herring but since deleted - showed the victim, who cops said had special needs, cowering in a corner with his arms tied and his mouth gagged.

He was filmed as he is kicked and punched by the gang, who were heard shouting "f*** Donald Trump. F*** white people".

At one point they cut the man's hair until his scalp bled before flicking cigarette ash into the wound.

He was discovered because he made so much noise while being tortured, the neighbours downstairs complained to cops, and the foursome went down to kick there door in.

The victim, who was initially reported missing on Monday night by his mother, was then able to make a break for it.

12 One of the men, believed to be 18, can be seen in the footage which went viral on Facebook Credit: Facebook

It was revealed by cops the man knew his attackers, and had been driving around with them for two days before a playfight he was having with Hill turned nasty.

This was when the two sisters decided to tie him up.

Johnson told CBS News at a press conference held on Wednesday before the four were charged: "It’s makes you wonder what would make individuals treat somebody like that.

"I’ve been a cop for 28 years, and I’ve seen things that you shouldn’t see in a lifetime, but it still amazes me how you still see things that you just shouldn’t.

“I’m not going to say it shocked me, but it was sickening.”

The victim, who has "mental health challenges," is recovering, Johnson said.

Police Cmdr Kevin Duffin said the suspects made "stupid decisions".

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Investigators attempted to "determine whether or not this is sincere or just stupid ranting and raving," Duffin said when asked about the language used in the recording.

The video also showed bottles of alcohol in the room during the attack.

Officers were called to a residence on the city's West Side on Tuesday evening where they found signs of a struggle and damaged property.

12 He cuts the special-needs man's hair so close to the scalp it starts to bleed Credit: Facebook

12 After cutting his head open, one of the teenagers then sprinkles the ash from their cigarette into the open wound Credit: Facebook

12 The harrowing footage shows the young man tied up and gagged in a Chicago apartment Credit: Facebook

12 Police have described the footage as 'sickening' and say they have arrested four people Credit: Facebook

12 The gang can be heard shouting anti-Trump remarks and racial slurs at the young white man Credit: Facebook

12 One of the teenagers appears to be smoking in the video, which has since been deleted from social media Credit: Facebook

Police said that around the same time, officers on patrol encountered the victim wandering a nearby street in an "obvious state of trauma".

Duffin said the victim knew one of the suspects and that they had apparently "met out in the suburbs".

He added: "These subjects then stole a van out in the suburbs and then brought him into Chicago."

The victim was treated in hospital and is recovering at home with his parents, police said.

Video of the alleged incident was initially posted on Facebook, but was later removed from the social media site.

A Facebook spokesman said the company removed the video because it does "not allow people to celebrate or glorify crimes on Facebook."

It comes after sickening video footage showing a man being beaten by a pair of youths because he voted for Donald Trump was shared online.

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