Two people were attacked in Logan Square in the past few weeks and the victims, who say they believe the two incidents are connected, want others to be extra careful as police investigate.
Surveillance video captured Levi Frerichs as he ran away from his alleged attacker. He said he was walking his dog in the 2600 Block of North Spaulding around 2:30 a.m. on July 30 when he was accosted and beaten by six people.
“I tried to run and they surrounded me again, started hitting me,” Frerichs told NBC 5. “I dropped my dog’s leash and the bag that I was carrying and one of the girls threatened to steal my dog.”
Frerichs suffered a black eye and injuries to his head and jaw. He said he believes part of the motive was hate.
“They were asking me if I was scared, calling me derogatory gay slang,” Frerichs said. “They were saying ‘are you scared [expletive]? You better be scared you [expletive],’ just terrible things.”
On Tuesday, there was another attack.
Logan Square resident Jean Godfrey was walking her dog in the 2600 block of West Bloomingdale along the “606” trail around 10 p.m. when she said a girl approached her and threw a sucker-punch.
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“She started to threaten me again,” Godfrey said. “She threatened to punch me in the face again and steal my dog.”
Godfrey viewed the video of Frerichs being chased and says she believes she was struck by one of the people seen in the video.
“I thought immediately that was the same person who had hit me, I recognized her,” Godfrey said.
Other Logan Square residents are concerned about the violence, too.
“Once the sun goes down I definitely don’t feel good, even walking my dog, just because all of the things that I’ve heard,” said Julie Kabrud.
“I’ve never had any issues but when I hear these stories it makes me be a little more aware of my surroundings,” Raymond Manasia said.
Chicago Police are investigating both incidents but have not determined whether or not they are linked.
“In both instances, they didn’t try to steal anything.” Godfrey said. “I had a purse on me, a phone … there was no effort to steal anything and they threatened both of us—to steal our dogs—and it seemed a random act of violence in both cases.”
