Merlin Lu, 21, is scheduled to appear in court Thursday after Chicago police charged him with felony hate crime and arson offenses tied to a cross burning in Grant Park last week. Police say he admitted in an interview that he set and burned the cross, while i
A cross burned in Grant Park last week is now tied to a set of serious criminal charges that carry the weight of intimidation allegations and arson.
Chicago police said a Near West Side man, Merlin Lu, 21, is facing two counts of felony hate crime, along with felony charges for arson and damage to property. The case also includes misdemeanor charges for reckless conduct, criminal damage to property, and cross burning to intimidate.
Police said they placed a person of interest in custody after NBC5 Chicago aired an interview with Lu. In that interview, Lu admitted that he set up and burned the cross. The interview also described Lu as a senior at the University of Illinois Chicago and from Naperville. but UIC officials said Lu isn’t currently enrolled at the school. though someone of the same name was enrolled in the fall.
The investigation pulled in multiple agencies: the FBI, the Illinois State Police, the Illinois State Police Forensic Lab, the University of Illinois Chicago Police, the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Lu is due in court Thursday, where the allegations tied to the park incident will move into the next stage of the legal process.
Merlin Lu Grant Park cross burning hate crime charges arson charges Chicago police UIC enrollment dispute FBI Illinois State Police Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office