By
Jeramie Bizzle
Web Producer, CBS Chicago
Jeramie Bizzle is a web producer for CBS Chicago. Jeramie began working with CBS Chicago as an intern in 2017 and returned as a full-time Web Producer in 2021. He has previously written for the Austin Weekly Newspaper, OakPark.com and Sportskeeda.
/ CBS Chicago
A man has been charged in connection with a burning cross that was spotted in Grant Park last week.
Merlin Lu, 21, of Chicago, was charged with felony counts of damage to property between $500 and $10,000, arson, and two felony counts of a hate crime. He also was hit with four misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct, reckless conduct, damage to property less than $500 and cross burning to intimidate.
Police say Lu was identified as the suspect who committed a hate crime by starting a fire that caused damage to city property in the 600 block of South Columbus Drive on June 9.
Police last week released a surveillance image of a suspect who was spotted fleeing the scene of the burning cross.
Lu is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing on Thursday.
No further information was released.