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Chicago Man Who Allegedly Used Gay Slur Before Fatally Slashing Man Is Released After Claiming Self-Defense

The suspect was released after claiming he stabbed Kenneth Paterimos in self defense, despite witnesses saying he was heard yelling a gay slur.

Chicago police have released a man who allegedly fatally stabbed a 23-year-old man outside a bar after using a gay slur against him, The Chicago Tribune reports. The unnamed man was let go without charges after he claimed self-defense in the incident, authorities said. Police apprehended him in the death of Kenneth Paterimos on Friday night. According to the Tribune, the 30-year-old man—who reportedly appeared drunk—shouted a gay slur at Paterimos, which led to an argument and a scuffle inside the bar. The bouncer then kicked out the man, who later confronted Paterimos when he walked outside to smoke a cigarette. At around 11:20 p.m., the man pulled out a box cutter and slashed Paterimos eight times: four times to the head, twice to the right arm, once to the chest, and once to the collarbone, police said. Paterimos’ brother and others held the man until police arrived, and the box cutter was found on the scene.

“The individual taken into custody presented a self-defense claim,” Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. “So he’s been released and we’re now working to corroborate the timeline and the chronology of events that he gave us.” There is reportedly nothing in the police report to indicate that Paterimos was armed at the time of the attack.