A Chicago man faces homicide and hate crime charges in connection with the death of another man following a Wednesday afternoon fight in Chicago's north side Rogers Park neighborhood.
Joseph Firek, 59, is accused of attacking 59-year-old Michael Tingling as Tingling walked with his teenage daughter, 15-year-old Masharah Tingling, on the 7100 block of North Clark Street.
Tingling had picked up Masharah early from Chicago Math and Science Academy before heading to a doctor's appointment. They were walking in Rogers Park when they were approached by a man who police said made inappropriate gestures toward her.
"He was staring at me up and down, eyeballing me," Masharah said. "My dad, being a father, he got protective and put me behind him and told the guy to go away."
During an ensuing argument, Firek allegedly punched Tingling in the chest. Tingling, who wears a pacemaker, was struck repeatedly while Firek lobbed racial epithets at him, police said.
Tingling and his daughter managed to get away and ran into a nearby auto repair shop. Tingling collapsed, was transported to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston and later died.
"'I really want my daddy,' that's all I kept saying when I saw them put him in the back of the ambulance," Masharah said. "I just want my dad."
An autopsy Thursday found Tingling died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease with stress from the altercation listed as a secondary factor, according to the medical examiner’s office.
The death was ruled a homicide.
Masharah is devastated.
"My dad can't see me go to eighth grade graduation," she said. "That's all he ever wanted to do was see me graduate."
