#34: Man tried to kill woman during 8-minute random attack inside Lincoln Park store, prosecutors say

A man who was AWOL in a felony stolen motor vehicle case followed a 61-year-old woman into a Lincoln Park store and tried to kill her with his bare hands Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors said. Kenyante Jackson is the 34th person accused of killing, trying to kill, or shooting someone in Chicago this year while on felony bond.

Prosecutors said the victim, who had never seen Jackson before in her life, was walking to a bus stop on the 2700 block of North Clark when she noticed him standing in front of a CTA bus, blocking its path. As she continued walking, the woman noticed Jackson was walking next to her, and he picked up speed when she tried to out-pace him, according to prosecutors.

The woman decided to go inside a clothing store on the 2700 block of North Clark to get away from him. But Jackson allegedly followed her inside and yelled that he was going to kill her.

With several employees and witnesses watching, Jackson put his arm around the woman’s neck and slammed into a wall, prosecutors said. Still choking the woman, Jackson allegedly dragged her behind the store’s counter by her neck. They fell into a display, then slammed onto the ground, where Jackson wrapped his legs around the woman as he continued choking her with his arm, prosecutors said.

When a metal bar fell from a nearby shelf, Jackson grabbed the bar and pressed it against the woman’s throat as the woman struggled to get away, according to prosecutors.

The attack, which was recorded by surveillance cameras, lasted eight minutes, prosecutors said Thursday. A witness eventually pried Jackson’s arms and legs from around the woman, allowing her to escape, according to the allegations. The witness then held Jackson down until police arrived.

Prosecutors charged Jackson with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery of a victim over the age of 60.

Last September, Jackson posted a $200 deposit to get out of jail after prosecutors charged him with driving a car that had been stolen from a woman at a West Loop hotel, records show. A warrant was issued for his arrest in May after he stopped showing up for court in the case.

Also in May, Jackson was charged with misdemeanor battery after he allegedly kicked down an apartment door in Rogers Park and battered the person who lives inside. Prosecutors subsequently dropped the case.

He has two previous adult felony convictions for robbery and a juvenile conviction for burglary, prosecutors said.

Assistant Public Defender Genevieve O’Toole said Jackson vehemently denies that he tried to kill the woman Tuesday. In fact, O’Toole said, Jackson claims he was sleeping on a bus stop bench when police arrested him.

Judge Charles Beach ordered him held without bail for the alleged attack and also held without bail in the stolen motor vehicle case. Jackson’s next court date for the attempted murder case is August 18.

Editor’s note: This report continues our coverage of individuals who have been charged with murder, attempted murder, or trying to kill a person while on bond for a pending felony case. CWBChicago began our series of reports in November 2019 after Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans publicly stated, “we haven’t had any horrible incidents occur” under the court’s bond reform initiative. You can support CWBChicago’s work by becoming a subscriber today.

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