Police Release Video Of Man Wanted For Questioning In Attack On Woman Near DePaul
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Police released video Wednesday of a man who is wanted for questioning in a brutal slashing attack on a woman near the DePaul University campus in Lincoln Park last week.
The suspect stole a vehicle from the area of the 353 N. Desplaines St. in the Fulton River District on Wednesday, July 17, police said. Police released video from the scene of that crime.
The surveillance video showed the man on a bicycle, rolling up to an apartment parking garage around 11 a.m. one day last week. Inside the garage, he was seen going car to car before police said he eventually stole one.
Police said the suspect has "similar demographics" to the suspect in the attack on a woman who was found with her face and neck slashed near DePaul early on Thursday, July 18.
Police are looking for this man. He's accused of stealing a car and then the following day slashing the throat of a woman near Depaul University's Campus. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/b5o5Je5Oca
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) July 24, 2019
Police said officers responding to a well-being check around 3:45 a.m. that morning found the 22-year-old woman on the ground on Halsted Street just south of the intersection with Lincoln and Fullerton avenues – near the university's music building.
As CBS 2's Charlie De Mar reported, the stabbing was gruesome. The woman was bleeding from the neck.
The victim had been slashed with a knife, beaten and her wallet stolen. Police believe the assailant wanted to sexually assault the woman, but she fought back.
Following the attack, the woman was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition, with lacerations to her face and neck. Police said she was nearly killed.
Good Samaritan Syed Subhan found the 22-year old woman bleeding severely on the sidewalk.
"I [saw] a girl laying on the floor, full of blood on her forehead and the throat area," Subhan said. "I thought she got hit by a car, but then I see the blood and I realized it's something else."
Subhan said he stayed with the woman for two and a half hours, even though police came in less than five minutes.
"I did not want to leave her helpless," he said.
DePaul University spokeswoman Carol Hughes confirmed the victim recently graduated from DePaul.
So far in 2019, there have been 59 robberies and 16 sexual assaults in the Lincoln Park area. It was not known Wednesday evening whether the suspect in the attack last week was connected to any of those incidents, CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reported.
Police Wednesday evening said they could not comment on any possible links as the investigation continued.
The man wanted for questioning is known to frequent the area of Milwaukee and Grand avenues and Halsted Street, and the area of Division and Orleans streets, police said.
Police advised that everyone be aware of the situation and alert neighbors, call 911 to report anyone suspicious, avoid walking alone, and always be aware of surroundings.
Anyone with information was asked to call the Area Central Detective Division at 312-747-8380.