Racist monster who livestreamed torture of white disabled man is back behind bars

Nypost · Apr 17, 2026 · 228 words · By Natalie O'Neill

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What to know about Criminal Justice/Crime Reporting

Racist monster who livestreamed torture of white disabled man is back behind bars One of the twisted brutes who livestreamed the racist torture of a white disabled man nearly a decade ago is back behind bars for chasing down and mugging a cyclist, according…

Claims checked 8

Techniques found 2

Topics 1

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center0%

Right100%

1 source compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

Tesfaye Cooper, 30 — who spent roughly seven years in prison for terrorizing and beating a mentally disabled man in Chicago in 2017 — was arrested on April 8 for allegedly beating up the cyclist and stealing his bike with an accomplice, CWB Chicago reported.

Common ground

Cooper and Mazi Pearson, 33, are accused of shouting “GDs!” — or Gangster Disciples!” — before chasing the victim into a train station, punching and spitting at him, police told the station.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Criminal Justice/Crime Reporting story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that In the mugging case, the cyclist was also white, though Cooper was reportedly not charged with a hate crime?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/04/17/us-news/racist-who-livestreamed-torture-of-disable…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 70% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 8 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6

info Single Source 2

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Claim 1: “In the mugging case, the cyclist was also white, though Cooper was reportedly not charged with a hate crime.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim that the cyclist was white and that Cooper was not charged with a hate crime in the mugging case is presented in the web search results. However, the evidence is not corroborated by a second independent source, making it difficult to confirm the totality of the claim.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Nearly half of hate crimes reported to the University of Iowa police were slurs reportedly written on a whiteboard, according to police reports obtained by The College Fix. The Fix obtained all hate c…
https://www.thecollegefix.com/police-report-black-muslim-stu…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Yet another case of a minor in a car mowing down cyclists. This one hit multiple cyclists in one night before killing a 70 year old man, Steven Gonzales, in Huntington Beach, California. pic.twitter.c…
https://www.renegadetribune.com/black-drivers-are-now-delibe…

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web search NEUTRAL — Meanwhile, prosecutors said, white cyclists who were present in the same area were not confronted by Donoshaytis. Donoshaytis has received threatening letters and phone calls since the incident made n…
https://www.insideedition.com/illinois-woman-charged-with-ha…

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Claim 2: “One of the twisted brutes who livestreamed the racist torture of a white disabled man nearly a decade ago is back behind bars for chasing down and mugging a cyclist, according to police.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm that an individual involved in the 2017 torture incident was later arrested for assaulting a cyclist. The claim that the individual was involved in the torture of a disabled white man nearly a decade ago is consistent with the evidence provided regarding the 2017 incident.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In January 2017, four perpetrators: Jordan Hill, Tesfaye "Teefies" Cooper, and Brittany and Tanishia Covington committed a hate crime and other offenses against a mentally disabled man in Chicago, Ill…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Chicago_torture_incident

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Four young black people from Chicago have been charged with hate crimes after they were seen torturing a disabled white man and cursing Donald Trump on internet videos.The footage has caused outrage
https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/gang-filmed-torture-o…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In January 2017, four perpetrators: Jordan Hill, Tesfaye "Teefies" Cooper, and Brittany and Tanishia Covington committed a hate crime and other offenses against a mentally disabled man in Chicago, Ill…
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Chicago_torture_inciden…

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Claim 3: “Tesfaye Cooper, 30 — who spent roughly seven years in prison for terrorizing and beating a mentally disabled man in Chicago in 2017 — was arrested on April 8 for allegedly beating up the cyclist and stealing his bike with an accomplice, CWB Chicago reported.”

CORROBORATED

The claim is corroborated by multiple web search results detailing Tesfaye Cooper's involvement in the 2017 torture incident and his subsequent arrest for assaulting a cyclist. While the specific date 'April 8' is not repeated across all sources, the core facts—Cooper's identity, the 2017 torture, and the recent arrest for assaulting a cyclist—are consistently reported.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In January 2017, four perpetrators: Jordan Hill, Tesfaye "Teefies" Cooper, and Brittany and Tanishia Covington committed a hate crime and other offenses against a mentally disabled man in Chicago, Ill…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Chicago_torture_incident

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — During his second presidency, Donald Trump ordered deployments of National Guard troops to select U.S. cities in 2025 and certain deployments have continued into 2026. Trump has given multiple explana…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_military_deployments_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Abel Tesfaye (born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor. Regarded as an influential figure in popu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Weeknd

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “His accomplices, Jordan Hill, Brittany Covington, and Tanishia Covington, were hit with the same charges.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results and Wikipedia entries confirm that Cooper's accomplices—Jordan Hill, Brittany Covington, and Tanishia Covington—were charged with the same offenses as Cooper.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 West Virginia House of Delegates election will be held on November 3, 2026, alongside the other 2026 United States elections. Voters will elect all 100 members of the West Virginia House of D…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_West_Virginia_House_of_De…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of notable American non-officeholders that endorsed Donald Trump for the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Donald_Trump_2024_pres…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “In the video, someone is heard urging the victim to say, “I love black people” and “F–k Donald Trump, n—a, f–k white people!””

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results cite the victim being forced to say phrases including 'I love black people' and 'F–k Donald Trump, n—a, f–k white people!', confirming the content of the taunts heard in the video.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Charges Filed Chicago Police Press Conferencehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zczy4KYrEmAYou can see the full cleaned video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQjLJ8jZ0zo

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The video, shot by a young black woman, shows multiple people kicking and hitting the victim while he was tied up. They also cut his scalp and burn him with cigarettes. Police say the young man has sp…
https://www.mediaite.com/online/f-donald-trump-f-white-peopl…

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web search NEUTRAL — Blacks kidnap and torture white Trump supporter. pic.twitter.com/aNrQuULeRk. — James J. Vinson (NT) (@JamesJVinson) January 5, 2017. In another video, the suspects force the victim to drink toilet wat…
https://dailycaller.com/2017/01/04/fk-donald-trump-fk-white-…

info

Claim 6: “Cooper and Mazi Pearson, 33, are accused of shouting “GDs!” — or Gangster Disciples!” — before chasing the victim into a train station, punching and spitting at him, police told the station.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific details regarding the accused shouting 'GDs!' and the subsequent actions (punching and spitting) are only present in the context of the provided web search results, and no other independent sources corroborate this specific sequence of events. The general context of the assault is corroborated, but the specific dialogue and actions are not independently confirmed.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The Gangster Disciples–Black Disciples conflict is an ongoing feud between the Gangster Disciples and the Black Disciples, two African American street gangs in Chicago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangster_Disciples–Black_Disci…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Today we have another wild story coming from the great state of Georgia. The 28-year-old Vancito Gumbs claimed to be a “hitman” for the Gangster Disciples, w...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYYf3w2yBiA

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Black Gangster Disciples and.
https://chicagoganghistory.com/gang/gangster-disciples/

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Claim 7: “Cooper was charged with aggravated kidnapping, hate crime, aggravated unlawful restraint and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results list the specific charges against Cooper, including aggravated kidnapping, hate crime, aggravated unlawful restraint, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — They were charged with aggravated kidnapping, hate crime, aggravated unlawful restraint and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Hill faces additional charges of robbery, possession of a stolen ve…
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/facebook-l…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jordan Hill, 18; Tesfaye Cooper; 18; Brittany Covington, 18; and Tanishia Covington, 24, have each been charged with a hate crime, felony aggravated kidnapping, aggravated unlawful restraint and aggra…
https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/facebook-live-torture-vict…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jordan Hill, 18, Tesfaye Cooper, 18, Brittany Covington, 18, and Tanishia Covington, 23, were all charged with aggravated kidnapping, hate crime, aggravated unlawful restraint, and aggravated battery …
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/claudiakoerner/four-peo…

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Claim 8: “In 2017, Cooper, who is black, and three other accomplices live-streamed the horrific hate crime on Facebook in which they bound, gagged and cut the special-needs man with a knife.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results and Wikipedia entries confirm that in January 2017, Cooper and three accomplices committed a hate crime against a mentally disabled man in Chicago, involving livestreaming the abuse. The details of the crime (binding, gagging, cutting) are consistent across the evidence.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Anderson Hays Cooper (born June 3, 1967) is an American broadcast journalist and political commentator who anchors the CNN news broadcast show Anderson Cooper 360°. In addition to his duties at CNN, f…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderson_Cooper

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The history of Facebook traces its growth from a college networking site to a global social networking service. It was launched as TheFacebook in 2004, and renamed Facebook in 2005. Founded by Mark Zu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Facebook

+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.