Suspect charged in Edgewater stabbings

Nice. Still, much better than the previous email alerts to the fact that a person was at large doing this.

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By Jeremy Gorner and Dan P. Blake
Tribune staff reporter

March 19, 2007, 10:38 AM CDT

A 26-year-old man has been charged in a rash of knife attacks in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood on the North Side, authorities said.

Luis Irizarry, of the 1500 block of West Hollywood Avenue, is scheduled to appear in bond court this afternoon. He is charged with five counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in connection with the five attacks-four last week and one Sunday night, according to Cook County state's attorney's office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton.

The first four attacks occurred last week in the 1200 block of West Victoria Street, the 1300 block of West Catalpa Avenue, the 1500 block of West Edgewater Avenue and the 5800 block of North Hermitage Avenue. The location of the fifth attack and additional details were not immediately available.

Detectives say that in each case, the suspect approached the victims from behind and attempted to slash their faces and necks with a knife. There was no attempt at robbery.

None of the victims in the four earlier attacks was hospitalized, police said.

Police had issued a sketch of the man they were looking for, describing him as a man in his early 20s, 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, 140 to 150 pounds, with a light complexion and dark-brown eyes.

Further information about the suspect will be released during a news conference and the bond hearing later today. Belmont Area detectives, who are investigating the case, declined to comment this morning.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune