Former Illinois State University Teaching Assistant Derek Lopez Arrested After Threatening Charlie Kirk Supporters and Making Violent Social Media Posts

[00:00] from teaching in the classroom to

[00:01] flipping tables in the quad.

[00:07] >> Thanks guys. Have a [music] great day.

[00:08] >> A grad teacher lands himself in some

[00:10] major controversy on a college campus,

[00:13] but it was his social media post that

[00:15] landed him in a jail cell when it caught

[00:17] the attention of the FBI. [music]

[00:18] This is Inside the Crime presented by

[00:20] Law and Crime. I'm Elizabeth Milner.

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[01:06] Now, there's an old warning that a lot

[01:08] of people love to ignore, and that's be

[01:10] careful what you post on social media

[01:12] because now this former grad teacher is

[01:14] looking at years in federal prison if

[01:16] he's convicted. It's October 13th, 2025.

[01:19] We're on the campus of Illinois State

[01:20] University. Around 1 that afternoon, a

[01:22] school organization was set up in the

[01:24] quad. Then, a man who was described as

[01:26] having long hair, wearing a white shirt,

[01:27] and red pants strolled over to their

[01:29] table. According to the police report,

[01:30] it began as a normal conversation until

[01:33] this happened.

[01:34] >> Well, you know, Jesus [music] did it, so

[01:36] you know I got to do it, right? Jesus

[01:38] did it. Good luck.

[01:45] >> Thanks, guys. Have a great day.

[01:48] Police say witnesses IDed the man as

[01:50] 27-year-old Derek Lopez. Political

[01:52] tensions were pretty high around this

[01:54] time. It was about a month after the

[01:55] murder of Charlie Kirk. And the table

[01:57] Derek reportedly flipped over was none

[01:59] other than the school's local chapter of

[02:01] Turning Point USA. It wasn't very hard

[02:03] for officers to find Derek because at

[02:05] this point he was a teaching assistant

[02:06] at the university.

[02:08] >> So you have a right to remain silent,

[02:09] make a mistake against you in a court of

[02:11] law. You have the right to talk to a

[02:13] lawyer and have him or her present with

[02:14] you while you're being questioned. If

[02:16] you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, we

[02:17] will be appointed to represent you

[02:18] before any questions if you wish. We

[02:20] decide at any time to exercise these

[02:22] rights and not answer any questions or

[02:24] make any statements. Do you understand

[02:25] these rights?

[02:28] >> Do I have to say yes?

[02:29] >> It's a yes or no. Do you understand your

[02:31] rights?

[02:31] >> Yes.

[02:32] >> Okay. With these rights in mind, I'd

[02:33] like to talk to you about today. Okay.

[02:35] >> So, around 2:00 this afternoon, you were

[02:39] reported flipping over a table. Can you

[02:41] tell me about that?

[02:42] >> Yeah. Yeah. So,

[02:45] the Turning Point USA people had a

[02:49] table. They were distributing

[02:52] >> uh piece of the paper about an upcoming

[02:54] event, a comedy event.

[02:57] >> Uh there was a a racist coming to talk

[03:00] on campus.

[03:01] >> Okay.

[03:02] >> So, I flipped their table over. I told

[03:05] them I thought that's what Jesus would

[03:06] do. And you know, I know I'll get in

[03:10] trouble for it, but I still think it's

[03:12] what Jesus would do.

[03:14] >> So, you think

[03:16] flipping over students, again, you're

[03:18] you're helping a student right now.

[03:20] You're here to help students get

[03:22] >> I was helping students when I flipped

[03:24] that table over, too.

[03:25] >> How's flipping a table helping students?

[03:26] >> Because those guys are trying to hurt

[03:28] students

[03:29] >> by handing out

[03:31] >> propaganda

[03:32] >> paper. You don't have to read the paper.

[03:34] You don't have to take the paper. But

[03:36] lots of people do.

[03:37] >> Okay. Then that's them. That's not you.

[03:39] That's not your friends. That's not the

[03:41] people around you.

[03:42] >> It is the people around me.

[03:44] >> Okay. But it's other people that want to

[03:46] go to look at the stuff. You don't have

[03:48] to.

[03:50] If I invite you to watch the Super Bowl,

[03:53] are you going to watch it?

[03:54] >> I don't know.

[03:55] >> Do you even like sports?

[03:57] >> I I I I watch the Super Bowl with

[03:58] friends sometimes. Yeah, I do that.

[04:00] >> Okay.

[04:02] Do you like the same music as me? If I

[04:04] invited you to a concert, okay, then you

[04:06] would probably then you can say no.

[04:08] >> Okay. Sure. Yeah.

[04:09] >> Case in point.

[04:10] >> But are you going to a concert where

[04:11] they're holding up their hand and

[04:12] throwing swastikas around and

[04:14] >> they're not doing that.

[04:16] >> All right.

[04:16] >> They're Republicans group chat.

[04:18] >> All right.

[04:20] >> You're going to be cited.

[04:21] >> Okay.

[04:22] >> For disorderly conduct and criminal

[04:24] damage to property.

[04:25] >> Okay.

[04:25] >> All right.

[04:26] >> Which property?

[04:27] >> The table.

[04:28] >> Did I break it? I thought I just turned

[04:29] it over.

[04:30] >> No, you broke it.

[04:31] >> Oh, I'm sorry. So, you'll have a court

[04:34] date. Okay.

[04:34] >> All right. It'll be November 11th at the

[04:37] Law and Justice Center in Bloomington.

[04:39] All right.

[04:39] >> Okay. So,

[04:42] sorry. Did you say December or November?

[04:43] 11th.

[04:44] >> November.

[04:45] >> November 11th. Okay.

[04:46] >> No. November 5th.

[04:47] >> What? Oh, sorry. I don't know where I

[04:48] got 11th. November 5th at the Law Law

[04:52] and Justice Center in Bloomington.

[04:53] >> Yes.

[04:56] >> Those are your copies.

[04:57] >> Mhm. At the bottom, it shows your court

[04:59] date and time and where the location is

[05:02] at.

[05:02] >> You mean this here or wait?

[05:05] >> Where

[05:06] the address of the law addresses center?

[05:08] >> Yes.

[05:08] >> And the date? Yep. Okay.

[05:13] >> Okay.

[05:14] >> You need to knock this off.

[05:16] >> Do I keep both of these?

[05:18] >> Yes.

[05:18] >> Okay.

[05:18] >> You're an employee here at ISU. Mhm.

[05:23] >> You should not be antagonizing your

[05:25] students here on campus.

[05:28] Does that make sense?

[05:30] >> If it happens again, you will be going

[05:33] to jail for disorderly conduct.

[05:35] >> Okay.

[05:36] >> Does that make sense?

[05:37] >> Okay, officer. Yeah, that makes sense. I

[05:39] understand.

[05:39] >> This report will also be going to HR.

[05:42] >> Yes. And the last one also probably is

[05:44] still working its way to HR, right?

[05:46] >> Probably.

[05:46] >> Yeah. This wasn't Derrick's first time

[05:48] investigators spoke with him. Just 2

[05:50] days earlier, he was in front of

[05:51] detectives for those questionable posts

[05:54] made on social media. explain this one.

[05:57] >> All right. Yeah. So,

[05:59] this one is the one that I posted on all

[06:02] my accounts that got a lot of attention

[06:04] and I think this is probably like the

[06:07] representative sample of what the FBI

[06:09] wanted to talk to me for.

[06:11] >> Okay.

[06:11] >> So,

[06:14] yeah. I mean, straight up, I don't like

[06:17] Nazis. I don't want to kill anyone and I

[06:20] don't think I have to kill anyone and

[06:22] I'm not going to kill anyone. Mhm.

[06:23] >> I told my brother one time that if

[06:26] ultimately in real life it came down to

[06:29] like me or someone else, like one of us

[06:32] dies and one of us has to live, I'll

[06:34] choose the other guy. I'll choose the

[06:36] other guy because

[06:38] I've already had my fun. You know, I had

[06:40] a great time growing up. I had a good

[06:41] time in college. If fascists are going

[06:44] to kill me, then so be it. But while I'm

[06:48] here, I'm not going to be quiet about

[06:51] the fact that fascists are evil. It's as

[06:55] simple as that.

[06:56] >> So then this one also drew my attention.

[07:04] >> Yeah. I mean, I'm sorry if you uh I'm

[07:07] sorry if you feel like uh you're like

[07:11] concerned

[07:13] is what I am.

[07:18] Like we I'm seeing I'm reading stuff

[07:22] about people like threatening people

[07:24] with violence.

[07:25] >> Well, what about the ICE officers who

[07:27] threatened people with violence?

[07:29] >> I'm not with them. I'm not in involved

[07:32] in that. So,

[07:34] >> you wouldn't try to stop them. You

[07:35] wouldn't try to stop them if they

[07:37] threatened people on campus with

[07:38] violence.

[07:39] >> They're a federal agent doing their job.

[07:41] They're a federal agent doing their job.

[07:42] Their job is to wear a mask and drive an

[07:45] unmarked vehicle and kidnap someone with

[07:48] no habius and no warrant situation. All

[07:50] right, I'm here to talk about right now.

[07:52] >> All right.

[07:53] >> All right.

[07:56] Speaking of ice.

[07:59] >> Yeah. Yeah. So, oh god.

[08:04] So, this is part of what like this is

[08:07] part of what I was talking about to the

[08:09] FBI. Like I told the FBI the way that I

[08:13] approach my social media is almost like

[08:15] a piece of performance art and

[08:18] >> this is a

[08:20] >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, same vibe, right?

[08:23] >> So, this is me threatening to pop the

[08:26] tires on an ICE van because the ice van

[08:30] has people in the back and they're being

[08:32] taken to a concentration camp.

[08:34] >> So,

[08:37] are [snorts] you talking about this top?

[08:38] We already talked about

[08:38] >> No, we already talked about the other

[08:39] ones.

[08:40] >> Yeah.

[08:40] >> I don't know why posted the way they

[08:42] did.

[08:42] >> But yeah, this is a picture of me

[08:44] because

[08:46] >> I wanted to put, you know, a recogniz I

[08:49] didn't want to put my whole entire face,

[08:50] but I wanted to put something

[08:51] recognizable out there so that people

[08:54] would know that I wasn't hacked. Like

[08:55] this is genuinely my account. That's

[08:57] part of what makes it feel more like

[09:01] >> [snorts]

[09:01] >> um effective I think at the deterrence

[09:04] like the deterrence of Nazism, the

[09:06] deterrence of fascism. Okay.

[09:09] And then last one

[09:14] I guess this one it's I don't really

[09:16] know why they put that one in there. I

[09:19] think we kind of already talked about

[09:20] that a little bit. So

[09:22] >> uh yeah, met the guy who shot Charlie

[09:23] Kirk. Biggest true. I did not actually

[09:25] meet the guy who shot

[09:26] >> but the the Charlie Kirk one at the top.

[09:29] >> Well said. Cry harder. Every day

[09:30] hundreds of frail little kids in

[09:32] Palestine die. Charlie Kirk spoke out

[09:34] not to end their suffering but in favor

[09:37] of it. That was his free speech. My free

[09:39] speech is this. I Derek S. Lopez killed

[09:42] him. I killed Charlie Kirk. Yep. So if

[09:45] he can say that, then I can say this.

[09:47] Like free speech, whatever. I killed

[09:49] Charlie Kirk. It's not true. Just

[09:51] because I said it doesn't make it true.

[09:52] No,

[09:53] >> but like it's a little concerning.

[09:55] >> Yeah. No, I understand. And I I do

[09:58] understand why you had to take me in

[10:00] today. I'm not mad at you for taking me

[10:01] in today. You're doing your job. This is

[10:03] something you should be concerned about.

[10:05] And you had an interview with me and now

[10:07] you know that like I don't mean any of

[10:08] this. Like I'm not a threat to anybody.

[10:11] I'm not a threat on campus. I'm not a

[10:12] threat in Illinois. I'm not a threat to

[10:14] the United States of America. I'm just

[10:16] really upset. I'm just upset with what

[10:18] I'm seeing. I'm I I feel like I have no

[10:20] outlet for it.

[10:22] And you know what? I told the FBI this

[10:24] too. Like sometimes when I'm posting

[10:25] this stuff online, like I don't want to

[10:27] be a violent guy. Like I I I don't

[10:29] actually believe in that.

[10:31] >> Sometimes when I post this online,

[10:32] it almost feels like vomiting. Like it's

[10:36] almost involuntary. It like obviously

[10:38] thought goes into it, but like it feels

[10:40] like vomiting because I'm just seeing so

[10:43] much absolutely nasty coming out of

[10:46] like every like political place that I

[10:48] look. It's just disgusting.

[10:50] >> Sure. I just want to like program

[10:53] computers and like have a nice little

[10:55] job where I can I don't know like have I

[10:57] don't know. I just want to like live in

[10:59] my yard. Li live in my house with a

[11:00] yard, have a dog and a computer and

[11:03] maybe a girlfriend or a wife one day or

[11:05] I don't know. I mean I

[11:08] >> yeah broke broke up with my girlfriend a

[11:10] couple weeks ago. So that's great. But I

[11:12] don't know. It's just

[11:14] Yeah. You know Yeah. I'm just

[11:18] I'm sorry that I I'm sorry that I feel

[11:20] like I have to scare people in order to

[11:22] like

[11:22] >> Well, I don't think anybody should be

[11:25] scared into or forced into anything that

[11:28] they don't want to believe or do.

[11:30] >> Well, for I'm not forcing anyone. This

[11:32] is all just stuff I'm posting.

[11:33] >> I know, but like you you said you're

[11:36] sort of threatening people with like

[11:37] violence, but not actual violence like

[11:40] >> like bluffing.

[11:42] >> But don't you think it's a little wrong?

[11:44] Like if I threaten

[11:45] >> I do think that what they're doing is

[11:47] wrong. So I can't fight wrong. I can't I

[11:51] can't I can't uh

[11:53] >> you can't have a like a normal

[11:54] conversation with somebody you have a

[11:56] disagreement with. You can't

[11:57] >> no because they're not having a good

[11:59] faith conversation like Charlie Kirk,

[12:01] right? His whole thing was like I'm

[12:02] going to go have a nice normal

[12:04] conversation about our differences.

[12:05] That's not that's what he said that he

[12:07] was doing. Again, that's what he said he

[12:09] was doing.

[12:10] >> That's how he convinces people that he's

[12:12] a good guy. But then what he would do is

[12:15] he would go say the nastiest and he

[12:17] would clip it into like clip it into

[12:19] videos to only take the parts where he

[12:22] managed to make a college student look

[12:24] dumb and then he would post it online

[12:26] like he's some kind of big brain warrior

[12:29] when in actuality the majority of the

[12:32] clips that he didn't post were college

[12:34] students making him look dumb.

[12:36] >> He's not a smart guy. He's not a good

[12:38] guy. Mhm.

[12:40] >> And frankly,

[12:41] I'm going to say it.

[12:44] I'm glad that he's not around anymore.

[12:46] It feels bad to say.

[12:48] >> You know, online I say worse things, but

[12:50] in real life it feels bad to say.

[12:53] >> So, what

[12:54] >> I don't like feeling that way about

[12:55] people.

[12:55] >> Can you explain to me exactly what bad

[12:58] stuff he said that I guess is upsetting

[13:01] you to this point? He said that he said

[13:05] that uh black women are too dumb to have

[13:08] the jobs that they have and that they're

[13:10] only there because of DEI. He said that

[13:13] uh trans people are just mentally ill

[13:16] and they need to be coerced into not

[13:18] being trans. He said that if trans

[13:21] people keep this up then we might have

[13:23] to do something.

[13:24] >> You know, stuff like that.

[13:26] >> He's not a good guy. H.

[13:29] >> The detective warned Derek then to tow

[13:32] the line because his posts were getting

[13:34] very close into the terroristic threat

[13:36] category.

[13:37] >> You think I'll actually get arrested for

[13:38] this?

[13:39] >> Um, from what I've talked with

[13:42] everybody, you know, my chief of police

[13:45] and with the FBI agents.

[13:47] Again, all of this is

[13:50] >> Is this new story for you guys or is

[13:52] this something you see a lot

[13:54] >> with recent events? A lot more.

[13:56] >> Mhm.

[13:58] Um, and it's very concerning because of

[14:01] recent events, because of Charlie Kurt.

[14:04] So, that's why we're taking we're doing

[14:07] more precautions, more threat assessment

[14:10] is what we call them to determine if

[14:12] there is actually is a threat

[14:14] >> to our campus, whatnot.

[14:16] >> Okay.

[14:16] >> Um, from what I, you know, been talking

[14:19] to everybody, this is borderline like

[14:22] terroristic threats almost. And I I get

[14:25] it. I'm not I'm not a fan of Nazis or

[14:27] fascists either. Don't think I'm saying

[14:29] that. But like you're threatening to

[14:32] kill people and the way you're telling

[14:34] me this stuff is you're threatening

[14:35] people to go a certain route. Like I

[14:39] don't threaten people to do something

[14:40] for me. I have conversations with

[14:43] people. It's, you know, my whole job is

[14:46] communicating with people.

[14:48] So,

[14:48] >> but you carry a gun.

[14:51] >> I do for safety. But I don't.

[14:55] >> No.

[14:55] >> Yeah. So, if we're having a conversation

[14:58] and I don't have a gun and you don't

[15:00] >> I'm not threatening you. I'm having a

[15:03] conversation with you.

[15:05] >> All right.

[15:06] >> Am I uh am I free to leave?

[15:09] >> Yeah, you're free to leave if you want

[15:10] to leave.

[15:11] >> By October 20th, the video of Derrick

[15:13] flipping over the table went viral,

[15:15] leading more people to see his social

[15:16] media posts that were already on the

[15:18] radar of the FBI.

[15:21] So, it seems like what's going on, man?

[15:23] It seems like everybody's like

[15:24] >> Well, okay, here's the thing. I

[15:29] I maintain an online persona,

[15:33] but I did not mean to

[15:36] blow up the way I did on Fox News. That

[15:38] was crazy. And I'm a little overwhelmed.

[15:41] I I'm responding in a way that I'm

[15:44] trying to deescalate my persona, but

[15:47] it's going really weird.

[15:50] >> Okay.

[15:50] >> I don't consider a lot of the views that

[15:52] I post exactly my own views.

[15:55] >> But I c I consider it important for me

[15:57] to post them because of the awareness it

[16:00] brings to a lot of dangerous issues. And

[16:03] I know that I'm scaring people and I

[16:05] apologize a lot. I apologize to a lot of

[16:08] people, my friends, my family, but this

[16:11] is something I feel like I have to do

[16:12] for like free speech sake, for like uh

[16:15] like I don't know, bringing awareness

[16:18] sake.

[16:19] >> Okay.

[16:20] >> Well, there's one there's another

[16:22] incident I want to ask you about.

[16:24] >> Okay.

[16:24] >> Okay. So, before I ask you about that,

[16:26] I'm going to read you Miranda, which

[16:28] Johnson's right.

[16:28] >> Yeah, I got it already.

[16:29] >> You're good. Well, this is a new

[16:31] incident. I have to I have to read it to

[16:33] you either way. Oh,

[16:34] >> so

[16:36] MLAN County Republicans just received a

[16:39] electronic harassment threat. Um,

[16:42] >> well, that wasn't me. I've not been

[16:43] threatening anybody. And I know that

[16:46] there is somebody on the board of the

[16:48] MLAN County Republicans that online has

[16:51] been engaging with some of the stuff

[16:52] I've been posting. I don't think it's

[16:55] possible that somebody saw that and

[16:57] started harassing him, but I don't

[16:59] encourage anyone to harass people. And I

[17:01] don't I didn't harass him.

[17:04] Okay. Okay. Cuz I I just saw the

[17:06] Bloomington police report and they

[17:08] suspected it was you obviously because

[17:11] of the past incident last week. Yeah.

[17:13] >> And then your online contact and then I

[17:16] guess you had signed up for to be a

[17:17] volunteer with the Republicans. Was that

[17:19] like

[17:20] >> Was that a long time ago?

[17:21] >> I don't know. I technically am

[17:24] registered to vote Republican, but um

[17:28] like I did that so I could vote in the

[17:29] Republican primaries, but like that was

[17:31] like four years ago.

[17:32] >> Gotcha.

[17:34] Okay. So, you think you think it's

[17:36] someone else that just ripping off of

[17:38] your social media post and

[17:40] >> Well, are you allowed to show me what

[17:42] you're talking about?

[17:42] >> No, I believe this was a phone call.

[17:44] >> Oh, yeah. I don't make phone calls like

[17:46] that. Um, and they were specifically

[17:49] talking about events on Wednesday, a

[17:52] Republican event on Wednesday here in

[17:53] town.

[17:54] >> On Wednesday?

[17:55] >> Yeah, the 22nd.

[17:57] >> I'm aware of an event today tonight, but

[18:01] not on Wednesday. Okay.

[18:02] >> Is that what Well, okay. I don't I don't

[18:04] know about the event.

[18:05] >> I don't even know what event they were

[18:07] talking about. I just know our event

[18:08] here.

[18:09] >> There's always stuff on campus. I don't

[18:10] know.

[18:11] >> Sure. Um, the last name is that that

[18:15] said something claimed to be.

[18:17] >> Yeah.

[18:19] >> I don't know.

[18:20] >> I don't think so. I mean, I don't know

[18:22] all my friends last names like people I

[18:24] was acquainted with in college, but I I

[18:26] can't think of close with.

[18:28] >> Okay.

[18:30] >> All right. Um so the other reason we

[18:33] called is um turning point the

[18:36] individuals that you flipped over the

[18:37] table the first time they're want to

[18:40] pursue charges for that incident.

[18:42] >> Oh, so is that separate charges from the

[18:44] time the time that was video recorded?

[18:47] >> Yeah, the one from Friday.

[18:48] >> Yeah. Okay. From Friday. Yeah.

[18:49] >> Yeah. So you Yeah, that was the one that

[18:51] I believe Jonathan already issued.

[18:54] >> Yes, I did talk to him after that.

[18:56] >> Okay. So this is the one before that.

[18:58] >> Yeah. Okay. So because because of those

[19:00] two charges, because of the

[19:03] the stuff online, um you are going to be

[19:06] arrested today and you're going to be

[19:08] taken down to jail.

[19:09] >> Okay.

[19:09] >> And you'll be detained

[19:11] >> until when?

[19:12] >> Until So you see a judge, which will be

[19:14] tomorrow.

[19:14] >> I'll see a judge tomorrow.

[19:16] >> And

[19:18] then what will happen? Because I was

[19:20] told I'd see a judge on this on some

[19:23] some date in November.

[19:24] >> Right. That was for that first charge.

[19:26] Oh, so the second charge is faster

[19:28] because it's the second charge.

[19:29] >> Yeah, because it's the second charge and

[19:30] they're so close together and all the

[19:34] other um circumstances with the online

[19:36] stuff.

[19:37] >> Well, I think the first ch Oh, wait.

[19:39] Sorry. We're talking about the table.

[19:41] >> So, we're right now we're talking about

[19:42] combining all this stuff together.

[19:45] >> Okay.

[19:46] >> Well, not the phone calls cuz that

[19:48] wasn't you.

[19:48] >> No, not the phone calls.

[19:50] >> I just wanted to make sure that that

[19:52] that wasn't you.

[19:53] >> But it doesn't sound like it was you. It

[19:54] sounds like some

[19:55] >> I'm I'm more of a flipping over a table

[19:56] guy than a phone call threatening guy.

[19:58] >> You're you're more active.

[19:59] >> Well, no. I I wouldn't say active. See,

[20:01] that's one of the things about my online

[20:02] persona. Like I come across very

[20:04] angrily, but it's kind of like a like a

[20:06] Chihuahua, you know? It's like in real

[20:08] life, I try to stay very, you know,

[20:10] passive, calm, and level. And my online

[20:13] persona is angry because I feel like I

[20:15] have to do that in order to effectively

[20:17] engage with the people that are also

[20:20] angry online.

[20:22] >> Okay.

[20:24] Why why take it on the table at Turning

[20:26] Point? Like why why flip that over

[20:28] >> the Turning Point table? Well, I have

[20:32] very strong views and I do disagree with

[20:35] a lot of what Turning Point does as an

[20:37] organization. I've got no ill will

[20:39] against the students. I think they

[20:40] probably made a mistake by joining that

[20:42] organization and they were just trying

[20:43] to be involved on campus, you know,

[20:44] representing their beliefs. You know, a

[20:46] lot of those kids are like, "Yeah, free

[20:47] speech. I'm all for free speech and I

[20:49] love that, too." But Turning Point's not

[20:51] a good organization. And these kids are,

[20:55] you know, freshman coming right out of

[20:57] high school, they don't know that.

[20:58] >> So, I feel like if I can discourage that

[21:01] as much as possible, I'm going to do

[21:03] that in a nonviolent way, you know,

[21:05] because flipping over a table, you know,

[21:06] I I didn't mean to damage the property.

[21:08] I actually was trying to just, you know,

[21:10] overturn it and spill the contest, but I

[21:12] think somebody tried to prevent it or

[21:14] sat on it and then it like got pulled in

[21:17] a way I didn't mean to happen. Mhm.

[21:18] >> I almost tripped and fell over. But um

[21:21] >> Well, if the if the tables were reversed

[21:24] and somebody came up and flipped over

[21:26] your table, how would you feel?

[21:27] >> I feel bad, you know, and the

[21:28] Republicans felt bad, you know. Yeah, I

[21:31] feel bad.

[21:31] >> Okay.

[21:32] >> Even though Dererick appeared somewhat

[21:34] remorseful, chalking this all up to his

[21:35] online persona. He still was hit with

[21:37] criminal charges and taken to jail. Can

[21:40] I turn? You can put the throw this away.

[21:46] Turn chains on your back.

[22:12] Need to go double find a key to double

[22:14] your lock. line on my other uniform.

[22:18] You're okay.

[22:18] >> Oh,

[22:21] go this way.

[22:31] Hey, Will, you back here?

[22:40] Do you have a handcuff key on you?

[22:43] >> Yes.

[22:45] You need it?

[22:46] >> Yeah, mine mine's in my uniform and I

[22:49] just need to double lock his cuffs.

[22:50] >> Oh, you take

[22:52] >> Yeah, I just need to double lock. Oh,

[22:55] three.

[23:02] You show Derek in custody. Go turn

[23:04] around.

[23:13] So, if I don't double lock these, when

[23:16] you go to sit down,

[23:19] you're if they're not locked, these can

[23:21] tighten down and hurt your wrist.

[23:22] >> Oh, like it keeps it from

[23:24] >> Yeah.

[23:25] >> ratcheting.

[23:26] >> Yeah. Keeps it from ratcheting and

[23:27] hurting your wrist.

[23:28] >> Okay.

[23:32] >> All right.

[23:35] Where' I put my book?

[23:40] Oh, it's over here. Come on.

[23:48] >> Am I going to get a mug shot?

[23:50] >> Hm.

[23:50] >> Am I going to get a mug shot?

[23:52] >> Yep.

[23:52] >> Oh, wow.

[23:54] >> I have to have [clears throat] to keep

[23:56] custody of you.

[23:57] >> Sure.

[23:57] >> That's why I'm like grabbing on you.

[23:58] >> Yeah. Yeah.

[24:06] >> I think that parking lot's where my car

[24:08] is. right here.

[24:10] >> Yeah.

[24:10] >> Yep. That's probably them giving you a

[24:12] ticket.

[24:14] >> Oh,

[24:15] am I not supposed to park there? I

[24:17] didn't see a sign when I came in.

[24:18] >> So, yeah, it's faculty if you don't have

[24:20] You have Oh, you have faculty.

[24:22] >> No, I don't I don't have a faculty. I'm

[24:24] all Well, I I'm a faculty, but I'm like

[24:27] brand new to the university. I haven't

[24:28] gotten all the paperwork yet.

[24:29] >> Oh, okay.

[24:32] >> Okay. Either way, I'll have them 22-year

[24:34] ticket.

[24:35] >> Uh, thanks.

[24:37] See, they already gave that person a

[24:39] >> I guess they're quick.

[24:41] >> Yeah, they're quick. I've gotten several

[24:43] tickets when I get my permit.

[24:45] >> No. Friendly fire.

[24:54] Have a seat.

[24:56] Put my hands in front of me. Nope.

[25:10] After Dererick's arrest, he lost his job

[25:12] at the university, but now he also

[25:14] risked losing his freedom. Just days

[25:16] later, he was taken into custody again

[25:18] for allegedly making threats against the

[25:20] president online. His defense attorney

[25:22] reportedly argued he wasn't violent, nor

[25:24] did he have plans to harm the president.

[25:26] But in November, a judge ruled to keep

[25:28] Derrick Lopez behind bars until trial,

[25:30] even noting Dererick ignored specific

[25:32] warnings. And despite his lack of

[25:34] violent history, there was strong enough

[25:35] evidence in this case. According to a

[25:37] press release from the US Attorney's

[25:38] Office of the Central District of

[25:40] Illinois, Derek Lopez faces a max

[25:42] sentence of 5 years in prison if [music]

[25:44] he's convicted. Thanks for tuning in to

[25:46] this episode of Inside the Crime. I'm

[25:48] Elizabeth Milner.

[25:51] >> [music]