One person is in custody after a woman armed with a metal bat allegedly attacked at least nine other women in at least six separate incidents on the city's Northwest side, Chicago police say.
According to officials, the attacks occurred during the daytime hours on Sunday and Tuesday, and took place in neighboring communities, including Albany Park, Ravenswood and Irving Park.
In each of the incidents, an unidentified woman driving a white sedan exits the vehicle and begins to batter the victims, all of whom were female, officials say. The attacker than flees the scene.
One of the attacks, caught on cell phone video, shows a woman with a bat attacking a female walking with her young daughter in a stroller.
“At first, I thought it was a joke, then when she started hitting them it wasn’t a joke,” said witness Shannon Condon, who lives in the Ravenswood Manor neighborhood.
“A white car pulled up and a woman got out of the car with a baseball bat and basically started attacking two women with the stroller,” she said. “Either the mom or aunt said ‘I have a baby! Back off,’ and she didn’t back off.”
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Condon says the assailant didn’t park her car on the side of the street, instead putting it in park in the middle of the road.
“She left the door open and ran after these girls,” she said.
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Police believe the same woman is responsible for each of the attacks. Many of the victims declined medical attention, and at least one of the victims self transported to a nearby hospital. She was last listed in good condition, police say.
According to officials, no charges have been filed.
The full list of locations and times of the attacks are listed below. In some of the incidents, at least two females were attacked:
- May 7, 2:59 p.m.: 4200 block of North Richmond Street
- May 7, 3:46 p.m.: 4000 block of West Lawrence Avenue
- May 9, 11:27 a.m.: 4500 block of North Mozart Street
- May 9, 11:37 a.m.: 4100 block of North Campbell Avenue
- May 9, 12:00 p.m.: 3000 block of West Bel Plaine Avenue; 3000 block of West Cullom Avenue
