A Chicago coach took to his Instagram to post a video about his 67-year-old teammate being attacked by Border Patrol agents on Sunday.
Dan Walters, a coach with the DWRunning Racing Team, posted a heartbreaking Instagram video this weekend that went viral.
The video shows how one of his runners, a 67-year-old guy who’s been part of the team for years, got jumped by Border Patrol agents right outside his own home.
The entire chaotic thing happened during what was supposed to be a quiet long run on a Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, the elderly athlete is laid up in the hospital with six broken ribs and bleeding inside his chest.
Walters says his teammate didn’t fight back at all; he just knelt down and tried to stay calm, but the agents still beat him badly.
From what Walters described in the video and follow-up posts on Instagram, the runner was out on his usual route through the neighborhood when he rounded a turn and saw the road blocked by Border Patrol vehicles.
These agents were in the middle of an operation as part of the larger immigration sweeps underway around Chicago lately.
The runner slowed his car to a stop, not wanting to push through or cause any trouble.
However, according to Walters, one of the agents started yelling at him, threatening to smash his window if he didn’t back up right then.
Before the guy could even shift into reverse, one of the agents yanked open his door, dragged him out onto the pavement, and pinned him down.
Walters said they knelt on his back, holding him there while he never once raised a hand or argued.
Nonetheless, it didn’t matter, and they went at him hard enough to crack six of his ribs. Let alone rib cracks, but they also caused internal bleeding that needed emergency surgery to fix.
Likewise, he also expressed his concern, writing:
If this happened to out teammate, it can happen to anyone. Ad it very clearly is. While he was doing nothing wrong, neither are thousands of others who are being targeted for their race, occupation, or generally who they are.
Walters
Walters added, “What’s happening in Chicago is so messed up, so illegal, so scary, so sad. Let’s continue sharing, standing up for our neighbours, and shining a light on those attempting to bring darkness.“
Walters first shared the story in a raw post on Sunday, piecing it together from what his teammate could remember after waking up in the hospital.
By Monday, he turned it into a short reel to make it easier for folks to pass along.
In no time at all, people from all over commented with messages of support, sharing their own run-ins with federal agents during these crackdowns.
In the following story, Walters shared:
The outpouring of messages and support over the past 24 hours has been overwhelming and heartwarming. It’s given us some hope that light can shine through the dark.
Walters
He made a point of thanking everyone who asked about the runner’s condition, saying the man is hanging in there.
Walters ended his reel with a call to keep talking about it, writing:
This really is happening in our country with frightening frequency. It’s terrifying and it has to stop. We must keep sharing these stories, calling out these injustices for those who can’t stand up for themselves.
Walters
