Lightfoot appointee beaten, robbed outside his Chicago home: 'I'm in the ICU'
CHICAGO - The director of the Chicago Film Office is recovering after being beaten by three men trespassing inside his parked vehicle outside his home.
"This [morning] I was attacked, beaten, and my car stolen by three kids," Kwame Amoaku reportedly said in a Facebook post. "Thanks to all who have reached out. I’m in the ICU. I’m going to be ok."
What happened to Amoaku around 7:46 a.m. Wednesday was originally reported by Reel Chicago. Chicago police confirmed a 51-year-old man was attacked, but did not provide his identity.
"The victim confronted the offenders, who then began battering the victim with various objects," an incident report from Chicago Police Department reads.
The offenders took off in a gray Dodge Caravan, returned to the scene moments later to continue battering Amoaku and then fled again.
Amoaku's personal belongings were taken by the suspects. He was taken to a hospital in serious, but stable condition with a head injury and fractured arm.
Police say no one is in custody at this time, and detectives continue investigating.
A woman who identifies as Amoaku's daughter on Facebook asked for the public's assistance through a Meal Train fundraiser during his recovery.
Amoaku was appointed to lead the city's film office in July 2019 by Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
Prior to his current role, Amoaku was location manager for "Chicago Fire" and for the Netflix movie based on Chicago’s hip-hop scene, "Beats." He also acted in various locally-filmed TV shows, according to a city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Facebook post. He attended Southern Illinois University.
The Chicago Film Office leads the city’s effort to attract and enhance the production of feature films, television series, commercials, documentaries and all forms of local screen entertainment, according to its website.