Tourist stabbed during robbery near Oak Street Beach

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - Two men have been charged in connection with a stabbing and robbery of a tourist late Saturday near Oak Street Beach in the Gold Coast.

Noe Mondragon, 22, is charged with aggravated battery/use of a deadly weapon, and armed robbery; and 18-year-old Luis Salgado-Camargo faces two felony counts of armed robbery, according to Chicago Police.

Around 11 p.m. Saturday, the man and his girlfriend were walking along Oak Street Beach when they were robbed and he was stabbed.  The couple traveled here from Minnesota via Megabus for a quick weekend getaway.

He says he doesn't like stabbers, but he still likes Chicago.

“It's exciting isn't it, a little adventure,” said victim and tourist Neil McCarthy. “I know, that's weird.”

McCarthy is a 27-year-old London native who is currently in college in Minneapolis and his girlfriend 26-year-old Carisa Lerner say they saw the three men ahead of them.

“We were kind of hoping that when they came up and said ‘Hey, how's it going?’ we would just be able to go ‘Good’ and then just carry on,” he said. “I think of it now, it was a terrible plan and they were always going to rob us, no matter how nice our greetings were.”

McCarthy says the two attackers approached him, one holding a knife and demanded his phone and wallet, which he gave them.  When he saw his girlfriend being roughed up by the third attacker, the adrenaline kicked in.

“Turning and seeing that guy just on her and I don't know where those hands have been get them off my girlfriend, that's what made me take a risk essentially,” said McCarthy.

He says he got the man off his girlfriend, but was attacked by the others - stabbed in the shoulder, punched in the face.

McCarthy was able to get the knife and the three ran away.  The suspects got away with his wallet and passport and Lerner's credit cards, but she says she feared the worst.

“When you already give what they are asking and they are not backing off you kind of have to get ready for anything to happen,” said Carisa Lerner.

Police arrived moments later and medical staff bandaged McCarthy’s wound.

McCarthy, a former member of the Royal Air Force, started searching the beach for his belongings.  With an app he found his iPhone, then one of the attackers!

“I just sprinted after and just got him and dragged him over to the road here,” he said.

“He literally jumped on him, dragged him up to the pathway, put his arms around his back, then the cops drive up really fast cuff him and put him in,” said Lerner.

This couple says don't worry, a measly stab wound and lost passport won't stop them from visiting again.

“It hasn't ruined the city for me, I like Chicago,” said McCarthy. “I just like the people here, the pizza is amazing, it's just a nice place.”

They now hope a good Samaritan finds the passport and turns it in, otherwise the London native is in for a lot of paperwork.

McCarthy and Lerner are leaving the city Monday afternoon, no Megabus in their future, thanks to her parents who are flying them back.

A judge ordered Mondragon held on a $950,000 bond, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office. He had been on parole for a separate robbery. Bond was set at $500,000 for Salgado-Camargo.

They are due back in court Friday.