UPDATED 8/9 4:15 p.m. ET: Prosecutors believe Terry Kennedy became enraged for “no apparent reason,” TMZ reports.
They allege that Kennedy’s victim, Josiah Kassahun, tried to calm the star skateboarder down but to no avail. When Kennedy punched Kassahun, he hit his head on the pavement, at which point Kennedy kicked him in the torso. He succumbed to his injuries four days later.
UPDATED 8/3 11:40 a.m. ET: The family of the man Terry Kennedy is accused of killing has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the pro skater, TMZ reports.
Josiah Kassahun’s estate is seeking over $50, 000 im damages.
UPDATED 08/2/21 7:15 p.m. ET: On Monday (August 2) Kennedy was charged with first-degree murder. Those charges were formally filed in the afternoon, according to TMZ. The development follows the news that the man whom Kennedy is accused of attacking, Josiah Kassahun, had died. On Saturday, July 31, medical examiners declared Kassahun’s death a homicide.
Kennedy now faces a potential life sentence if convicted.
Details of the actual incident remain unclear.
See original story below.
A man who skateboarder Terry Kennedy allegedly attacked in an Illinois motel has died, according to TMZ.
The man, 23-year-old Josiah Kassahun, died on Saturday as the publication reportedly learned from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. The news of his death comes days after Josiah was attacked at an Oakbrook Terrace motel where he suffered a fractured skull and a concussion.
Kennedy—who often skated alongside Rob Dyrdek and was part of Pharrell’s Ice Cream Skate Team back in the day—was previously booked after fleeing the scene, TMZ learned from a DuPage State’s Attorney’s Office spokesperson. He also threatened to murder police nine times, the publication reports, saying “I will kill one of you police. We kill police where I’m from.”
The 36-year-old’s bail was reportedly set to $100,000 Wednesday and he remained behind bars after his first court date.
With the death of Kassahun, it is unclear how much his bail will increase. The skater—who may have been familiar with the victim, according to a friend’s Instagram Stories showing photos of them together—was already facing charges of aggravated battery in a public place and threatening a public official in relation to the incident.
