Stabbing leaves 4 dead, 5 injured after violent attacks in Rockford, Illinois

Four people are dead, including a mail carrier, and at least five others are injured with one in critical condition after a man allegedly stabbed multiple people Wednesday in Rockford and Winnebago County.

A suspect is in custody, but police know of no motive behind the attacks.

The attacks happened in the area of Cleveland Avenue, Holmes Street and Eggleston Road, near Alpine Road and Harrison Avenue, according to Rockford and Winnebago County Sheriff's police.

"We are reeling as a community from another senseless act of violence," Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said.

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Residents tried to make sense of what happened. Some broke into tears. Others frantically scoured the neighborhood on foot, looking for the suspect.

Cleveland Avenue resident Eric Patterson saw two bloody young teenagers and a middle aged woman with a wound to her neck taken by stretcher to ambulances. He saw what appeared to be evidence of a mailman being run over by a vehicle and attacked, his gear left strewn across a yard.

Parts of entire blocks were cordoned off by yellow police crime scene tape as detectives and officers from the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office and Rockford Police Department walked door-to-door in search of evidence and witnesses.

"It makes no sense," Patterson said. "It’s almost like playing a video game, but it's reality. It makes no sense. It’s like Grand Theft Auto. I'm going to run over the mailman here. I'm going to stab a couple people there. I am going to go in this house over here. It’s not making sense. You can’t rationalize this."

Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana said as the alleged attacker was fleeing the initial crime scene, a witness attempted to detain him and was stabbed.

"He's fine," Caruana said. "He has been checked out."

Cassandra Hernandez, another Cleveland Avenue neighbor, said she is friends with one of the victims, and mourns the life of the mail carrier who neighbors believe was both hit by a vehicle and stabbed during the attack.

"You never expect this here," Hernandez said. "I just took my dog on a walk right here yesterday morning. ... Just to think that it happened here, and we have such great neighbors and the mailman. I just have a feeling he is gone, and he was a very good man. I am very sad."

According to Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd, not all of Wednesday's victims were stabbed, and no one was shot. She also urged anyone with information to contact law enforcement.

"Please check your home security cameras (and) Ring doorbells," Redd said. "If you have footage, please reach out to us as we will remain in this area for quite some time."

Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at  (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on Twitter @jeffkolkey.

Jim Hagerty writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for the Rockford Register Star. Email him at jhagerty@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Police: 4 dead, 5 injured after violent attacks in Rockford, Illinois