I always used to say jokingly that a homeless man would shiv me before i graduated from college, mainly because of the way i run my mouth, but i never thought it would actually happen. It was 8:03 PM on 16 E. Harrison Street, here in the south loop of chicago, and i was on my way back from class, my arms full of a metal triforce i made in a metal shop, my backpack and a few wooden doll rods, walking from Wabash to State street, along south side of my buildings wall.
A homeless man who i do not recognize or recall ever speaking to, which is strange because i know most of the bums from the mission in the neighborhood by name and know weather they are friendly or not is walking towards me. Hes a little shorter than me and wearing a huge trench coat. I never made eye contact with him, because that makes bums want to talk to you. I never said a word to him. I scooted up along side the wall of my dorm to get out of his way, all the while he was moving slightly closer to me as he walked forward. I did this all instinctively, without giving it second thought.
As he passed me, it felt as though he scraped my side. I looked down to see my shirt was ripped. My first instint was it must have caught on his button or something. then i looked back at him as he kept walking. I checked the tear again to realize blood was starting to seep up around a thin line across my gut. the motherfucker cut me. He just walked up and cut me. I was astounded. Looked like he was aiming for my kidneys. If i hadn't turned toward him slightly, and if i wasn't so fat, and his knife wasn't so dull, my organs might have spilled out right there.
I walked stunned back to the front of my building (525 s state) and went right to the security desk to show them what happened. They pulled up the recording on camera, and there it was. You could only see him from behind though, with his large trenchcoat and skullcap on. the security called the police, not 911, and had them stop by to file a police report. We showed the cops the video. I requested if they could pull up any of the state street cameras to see if they could find some views of his face, or at least the front of him. When tabbing through the cameras they found a live feed of him walking in the alley. The cops ran out through the back door sneak attack style while I controlled the camera joystick from the lobby and watch them nab his dumbass; i cant believe he was just circling the building after committing such a random act of violence. After he was arrested he was preaching about how he was a profit of Muhammad; obviously a full blown lunatic.
So i go to the police station where they file the complaint and try to get his offence upgraded to a felony, but it ends up being just an aggravated battery and unlawful use of a deadly weapon. His last name was Lafeyetta Truitt, 31 years old.They recovered the knife, and i got a good look at it. I realize i got off very lucky. Had it been a serrated edge, or had he stabbed instead of sliced I'd be dead. I'm happy i reluctantly got that tetanus shot last year. next came a lot of bullshit waiting around the police office until 11pm, after signing tons of paperwork and getting pictures of the wound taken, I was finally driven back to my building where I had to tell my story to way to many people way too many times. Ive been pretty shocked by the whole incident, but i handled it like a complete badass and all the timing was right.
here's a photo of the wound. its not much worse than a really bad cat scratch, but damn, it could have been. pictures.
