Teen arrest controversy: Oak Lawn Board says 'respect for law enforcement only way to end these incidents'

OAK LAWN, Illinois - The Oak Lawn Board of Trustees said in a statement on Saturday that they "commend our officers' decision to use less than lethal force" when arresting a teenager who allegedly had a gun.

Video of the incident has gone viral, showing Oak Lawn police repeatedly punching Hadi Abuatelah, 17. His family says he suffered a broken nose, bruising throughout his body and bleeding near his brain.

Dashcam video was released Thursday by Oak Lawn police.

Saturday's statement from the Oak Lawn Board of Trustees reads:

The Oak Lawn Board of Trustees strongly supports the members of our Police Department and are committed to protecting the lives and livelihoods of all who live, do business in, and visit Oak Lawn. We commend our officers’ decision to use less-than-lethal force to detain the armed offender. 

This recent incident is yet another tragic example of what is happening in our society when it comes to law and order and public safety, and comes only weeks after another young man with a gun killed 10 people at Highland Park’s 4th-of-July parade. 

The Oak Lawn Police Department and our entire Administration will fully cooperate with the ISP investigation and accommodate any of their needs and requests, and we will have no further comments about the matter until their investigation is complete. 

But as a society the bigger-picture problem needs to become the primary part of the conversation, and that is respect for law enforcement and compliance with their lawful orders are the only ways we are going to put an end to these types of incidents.