Apr 23, 2008 11:20 pm US/Central
Pedestrians Attacked By Man Downtown
CHICAGO (STNG) ―
At least six people were injured -- five of them taken to a hospital -- Wednesday evening after a man believed to be mentally ill walked around the Loop striking people with his fists. One of those injured was ABC-7 News anchor Cheryl Burton.
Just after 7 p.m., police began receiving reports of people down at various locations downtown, police said.
Central District police said the man was using his fists to hit pedestrians near Washington and State streets and confirmed that Burton was injured in the incident.
The news anchor was on her dinner break when she was the "victim of a random attack," WLS Assistant News Director Janet Hundley said. Burton was not hospitalized as a result of the attack, but was "shaken up" and resting at home Wednesday night. It was unknown where on the body Burton was injured.
Five people with "various injuries" were at Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wednesday night following the incident, police News Affairs Officer JoAnn Taylor said. None of their injuries are believed to be life-threatening.
Fire Media Affairs spokesman Richard Rosado said crews began receiving calls of battery victims just after 7 p.m., and several people refused ambulances on the scene. The locations varied around the downtown area, and some complained of just being shoved.
At least one person was on the ground near State and Washington streets, but injured people are "popping up" in different places, police said.
The man, believed to be in his 20s with "mental issues" was in police custody Wednesday night, but charges have yet to be filed.
(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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