Nurse Tackles Man Attacking Blind Resident

A nurse tackled a man who was attacking a blind resident in an assisted-living dining room, stopping the assault but suffering injuries herself, Park Ridge police said.

The resident, a 73-year-old man who uses a wheelchair, survived. Police said he, the nurse and the accused attacker were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

The attack happened shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 11 at Summit of Uptown in Park Ridge, Illinois, according to police. The nurse was working at the facility when she witnessed what happened.

The Nurse Stepped In

Police said Thomas Jones, 79, got into an altercation with the resident and stabbed him. The nurse then tackled Jones to stop the attack.

The accounts released by police do not establish what prompted the altercation. They describe the nurse’s intervention and the injuries, without identifying either the nurse or the resident publicly.

Three Felony Charges

After receiving medical treatment, Jones was released into police custody. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery to a nurse.

Police said Jones was taken to the Cook County Courthouse in Skokie for a detention hearing. The reports reviewed did not provide the hearing’s outcome. The charges are allegations, and he has not been convicted in this case.

Both the resident and the nurse were alive when they were taken for treatment. Police have not provided further details about their recovery.

References: Man accused of stabbing blind resident at Park Ridge assisted living facility | 79-year-old charged in assisted living facility stabbing, Park Ridge police say | Police: 79-year-old man stabbed blind resident at assisted living facility

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