Teacher beats 87-year-old woman with purse and calls her a ‘Nazi,’ Illinois police say

An Illinois elementary school teacher is accused of a hate crime after allegedly beating a woman of German descent and calling her a ‘Nazi,’ according to police and media reports.

An 87-year-old woman was exercising in the parking garage of the condominium she lives in with Nancy Sweeney, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Sweeney struck the woman with her purse, leaving her with cuts and bruises, police said according to the Sun-Times.

Sweeney, who was allegedly upset the woman was exercising in the garage, also called the woman a “Nazi” during the Feb. 20 incident, according to WLS-TV.

The woman chose not to go to the hospital for her injuries, according to WGN.

The 45-year-old teacher was charged with felony counts of a hate crime and aggravated battery of a person over 60, The Daily Herald reported.

Sweeney has been placed on administrative leave at Franklin Elementary School In Park Ridge, the Chicago Tribune reported. Park Ridge is a northern suburb of Chicago.

Sweeney has been employed by the school district for 14 years, according to the Tribune.

Her administrative leave began March 4 — a day after school administrators learned of her charges, The Daily Herald reported.

Sweeney is due back in court May 11, WGN reported.

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 8:48 AM.