Chicago police officers who responded to a 77-year-old woman’s call for help were confronted by her adult son, who swung a knife at them and pinned one officer to the floor, poking the cop with the weapon, prosecutors said Monday.
Neither the officer nor the accused man, Orange Lofton, 56, were seriously injured during the incident, which unfolded around 12:30 p.m. Sunday in the 6100 block of South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Lofton was staying at his mother’s house while on electronic monitoring for a pending felony case in which he is accused of attacking a Chicago Fire Department paramedic, prosecutors said.
His mom called 911 Sunday, saying she feared for her life, Assistant State’s Attorney Alexander Konetzki said during Lofton’s bond hearing Monday. The officers had to break down the front door to get into the apartment.
Once inside, they found the woman had barricaded herself in her bedroom, and Lofton was standing outside the bedroom door, Konetzki said.
Lofton allegedly pulled a knife from his pocket upon seeing the officers in his apartment, and the police repeatedly ordered him to drop the weapon.
Instead of dropping it, Konetzki said, Lofton advanced toward the cops while swinging the knife. One officer tried to use his baton to stop Lofton, then fell to the floor while trying to disarm Lofton with a kitchen stool, Konetzki continued.
He said Lofton “hovered over” the fallen officer and poked him with the knife, causing several minor cuts to his bicep, ear, and forearm.
Another officer tried to use their baton to stop Lofton, but Lofton turned toward the second officer and swung the knife at him several times before running out of the apartment, according to Konetzi.
The cops chased Lofton and took him into custody after he fell.
He is charged with aggravated battery of a peace officer, and aggravated assault of a peace officer, which are both felonies, and with misdemeanor aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly threatening his mother, Judge Maryam Ahmad said during Monday’s court hearing.
In January, prosecutors charged Lofton with aggravated battery of an EMT. Fire department paramedics responded to a drug overdose call on January 12 and took Lofton to a hospital.
On the way, a paramedic riding in the back of the ambulance with Lofton asked if he took the pills to hurt himself. Upon hearing the question, prosecutors said. Lofton removed his seatbelt and punched the paramedic in the face five or six times.
Judge Mary Marubio released him on electronic monitoring the next day with no cash bail required.
A prosecutor said during his January bail hearing that Lofton has ten felony convictions that resulted in prison time, including theft, armed habitual criminal, forgery, armed robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Judge Ahmad held Lofton without bail on Monday for violating bond in the January case. The judge overseeing the matter will review his bail this week. Ahmad set bail in the new case at $200,000. He must pay 10% of that amount to go home on electronic monitoring, but Ahmad said he could not stay with his mother if released.
