Girl, 7, fatally stabbed on Chicago sidewalk, female suspect detained by bystanders
A 7-year-old girl was killed in a stabbing attack on a Chicago sidewalk on Saturday. Bystanders detained the female suspect at the scene.
Seven-year-old killed in stabbing in Chicago's Chatham neighbourhood
A 7-year-old girl was fatally stabbed on a sidewalk in Chicago's Chatham neighbourhood on Saturday, just before noon local time, according to abcnews.com. Bystanders who witnessed the attack physically detained the female suspect before police arrived.
The victim, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office as Edimari Hernandez Chacon, was walking southbound on the pavement in the Chatham shopping district on Chicago's South Side when an unidentified adult woman approached her, the Chicago Police Department said in a statement.
"The offender displayed a sharp object and stabbed the victim multiple times in the back," the statement read.
Edimari was taken to Comer Children's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Security footage from the area, as reported by ABC Chicago station WLS, appeared to show the young girl walking hand-in-hand with a woman shortly before the attack. Additional video appeared to show bystanders rushing toward the scene to physically restrain the suspect, who was outside the camera's field of view at the moment of the stabbing.
The suspect sustained injuries during the detention by bystanders. She was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries before being taken into custody, police said. Detectives are continuing to investigate the attack.
Police have not confirmed whether the suspect knew the girl or whether the stabbing was a random act of violence.
Chicago Alderman Michelle Harris, who represents the Chatham neighbourhood, issued a statement: "I am deeply saddened by the senseless stabbing of a 7-year-old child in our neighbourhood. My heart goes out to her family, friends, and everyone who is affected by this horrific incident. No child should ever have to experience violence or fear while simply walking down the sidewalk."
Harris also acknowledged the bystanders who intervened, stating that "their quick actions may have prevented further harm."
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)