Police released the man without charges on Monday but said that they would investigate the details surrounding the stabbing (pictured)
Chicago police are investigating the stabbing death of a gay man whose killer claimed that he was acting in self-defense – contradicting witness reports that he was shouting homophobic slurs at the man.
Police released the man without charges on Monday but said that they would investigate the details surrounding the stabbing of 23-year-old Kenneth Paterimos at Richard’s Bar on Friday night.
Nothing in the police report suggests that Paterimos was armed when he was killed, the Chicago Tribune reports.
‘The individual taken into custody presented a self-defense claim,’ Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. ‘So he’s been released and we’re now working to corroborate the timeline and the chronology of events that he gave us.’
Paterimos, a barista, was stabbed at approximately at 11.20pm outside of the bar on the 400 block of North Milwaukee Avenue.
A police source familiar with the incident said that a 30-year-old suspect appeared intoxicated and shouted a gay slur at Paterimos. The comment led to an argument between the two, which then led to a scuffle inside the bar.
Paterimos, a barista, was stabbed at approximately at 11.20pm outside of the bar on the 400 block of North Milwaukee Avenue
The 30-year-old was kicked out of the bar and waited for Paterimos to eventually come outside. He confronted the barista and pulled out a box cutter, stabbing the man eight times: once in the left ear, three times in the back of the head, twice in his right arm, once to the chest and once to the collarbone.
Paterimos’ brother rushed outside and he and others held the man until police arrived at the scene. The box cutter was found nearby, under a parked car.
‘The detective said my brother is a hero because they would’ve never found this guy otherwise,’ said Paterimos, the victim’s sister. ‘I think he showed some restraint, really, you know he tackled him and held him for police. It’s heroic what he did, I mean the guy had a knife.’
Paterimos’ brother rushed outside and he and others held the man until police arrived at the scene
But the woman struggled believing her brother could have done anything that would require the man to act in ‘self-defense’.
‘I couldn’t imagine someone being so threatened by him that they had to pull a knife out on him,’ she said. ‘This is the guy who called me when he went over 100 pounds because his whole life he didn’t even weigh 100 pounds.
‘He never got into fights or started stuff with people. My brother would joke with you before he would start a fight with you. It’s such a shock that someone could hurt my brother like that.’
Guglielmi asserted that it is still possible to charge the man for the stabbing.
‘We just normally have 48 hours under the law to question individuals and then, depending on how those interrogations go, information is obtained and shared and now we have to corroborate what he told us,’ he said. ‘And if everything is factual the way he describes it, then he could have a self-defense claim. And if not, he could face charges.’
Paterimos was stabbed eight times: once in the left ear, three times in the back of the head, twice in his right arm, once to the chest and once to the collarbone
The spokesman added that the investigation needed additional witnesses and any surveillance videos to move forward. Guglielmi added that he could not elaborate as to why the man felt he needed to defend himself with the box cutter.
When asked if the case could be classified as a hate crime, the spokesman added: ‘Anything is possible and I can’t really speculate on where this could go.’
Paterimos said that her brother had been working nonstop since high school and helped his family financially.
Step Down Cafe, where the barista worked, released a statement sharing news of Paterimos’ death.
‘We are all sad to announce the tragic death of our most beloved worker, Kenneth Paterimos,’ they said in the statement.
‘We all have had the privilege and honor of working with Ken and in such a short period of time, he became family. Although no words can help ease the pain of losing such a wonderful son, friend, worker, brother, uncle, and much more, we send our deepest condolences and love to his family.’
The cafe linked to a GoFundMe established by the barista’s mother – Diona Bueno – which has raised more than $11,000 of its $12,000 goal.
‘My son was brutally attacked and murdered,’ she said in the fundraiser. ‘What should have been a night out on the town with friends turned into tragedy. Words cannot express the tragic nightmare I have been living the last two days.’