Lombard man charged after yelling racial slurs at suburban park
Carl Walsh
LOMBARD, Ill. - A suburban man was charged with a hate crime and disorderly conduct after allegedly yelling racial slurs at a park in Lombard over the holiday weekend.
Carl Walsh, 35, of Lombard, allegedly blew a whistle, screamed racial slurs and "white power," gave a Nazi salute, and waved around a BB gun at a park near Lombard Lagoon on Sunday.
Prosecutors said Walsh was directing his hateful speech at a parkgoer who was in the park with four others. The group left and called Lombard police.
Officers located Walsh at his home and took him into custody. He appeared in court on the same day and was charged with one count of felony hate crime in a public park or community center and one count of misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
"While DuPage County is a welcoming community, we do not tolerate or welcome the type of behavior alleged against Mr. Walsh," DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. "Hate crimes have no place in a civilized society."
Walsh's next court appearance was scheduled for Sept. 30.