Man detained after woman attacked, held underwater in pond at Skokie mall, police say
Man detained after woman attacked, held underwater in pond at Skokie mall, police say
A man is detained after police said he attacked a woman at a suburban Chicago mall and held her head underwater in a pond.
SKOKIE - A man is detained after police said he attacked a woman at a suburban Chicago mall and held her head underwater in a pond.
Woman attacked at suburban mall
The backstory:
The incident happened shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday at Westfield Old Orchard, 4905 Old Orchard Center in Skokie.
Witnesses told Skokie police that a man was holding a woman's head underwater in a pond at the north end of the mall after attempting to take her purse.
Police also received a report that the man was armed with a handgun.
Bystanders intervened and separated the man and woman before officers arrived.
When police arrived, the man was still at the scene and was detained, according to authorities.
Police said the man and woman did not know each other. As they crossed paths in the outdoor mall near the pond, the man allegedly struck the woman without provocation with a saddle-type bag and pushed her into the pond.
The man then held the woman's head underwater, according to police.
The woman was taken to an area hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Police said the report that the man was armed with a handgun was not substantiated.
What they're saying:
"We are aware of an incident at Westfield Old Orchard earlier today and are cooperating with the Skokie Police Department. The safety and well-being of our visitors, retailers and employees remain our top priority. As this remains an active police matter, we respectfully refer all inquiries regarding the incident to the Skokie Police Department," a spokesperson with Westfield Old Orchard said.
What's next:
The investigation is ongoing, and we'll provide updates as more information becomes available.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Skokie police at 847-982-5900.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by Westfield Old Orchard and Skokie police.