Four people have been charged after a video showing a man with special needs being beaten and tortured was streamed live on Facebook.

It comes after footage emerged of a woman laughing and smoking to camera as others use a knife to tear the victim's clothes and cut his hair until his scalp bleeds.

He is seen bound, gagged and slumped on the floor in a corner of a building during the ordeal in Chicago.

Image: Accused: Jordan Hill, Brittany Covington, Tesfaye Cooper and Tanishia Covington

At one point, one of the attackers kicks the helpless victim in the head.

Someone can be heard in the 30-minute video saying: "F*** Donald Trump n*****. F*** white people boy."


Prosecutors have now filed hate crime and aggravated kidnapping charges against four people accused of being involved.

Jordan Hill, 18, Brittany Covington, 18, Tesfaye Cooper, 18, and Tanishia Covington, 24, have also been charged with aggravated unlawful restraint and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

The victim is believed to have been held hostage for between 24 to 48 hours.

He knew one of the suspects from school, according to police.

Image: A knife was used to cut the victim's hair and clothes

Officers were called to a property on Chicago's West Side on Tuesday night and discovered signs of a struggle and damaged property.

At around the same time, officers on patrol found the victim on a nearby street.

Superintendent Eddie Johnson said the man, who has "mental health challenges", was recovering.

In a statement to the media, the teenager's brother-in-law David Boyd said he was "doing well, as well as he could be at this time".

He said: "We're so grateful for all the prayers and efforts that led to the safe return of our brother. We're fully aware of the charges being brought against the offenders."

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The victim was taken to hospital, but has since been discharged.

Police have said it is too early to say whether the attack was racially or politically motivated.

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