Migrant attacked coworker with running power saw during construction site fight: prosecutors

Augustin Gomes Granadillo, inset, and a Stihl masonry saw. (Chicago Police Department, Bicanski/Pixnio)

A Venezuelan migrant working at a Chicago construction site has been detained on attempted murder charges after allegedly attacking a coworker with a running concrete saw, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said 26-year-old Augustin Gomes Granadillo got into an argument with a 30-year-old coworker at a job site in the 1200 block of South Kedvale Avenue on June 23.

The altercation began as a verbal disagreement that escalated when Gomes allegedly picked up a shovel and swung it at the victim, a Chicago police report said. He then used a concrete block to hit him in the stomach before grabbing a Stihl masonry saw from the job site.

Gomes turned it on and swung it at the victim twice, striking him once in the right wrist and then in the chest, the report said. The victim suffered a deep laceration and fracture of the wrist and a deep laceration wound to the chest, according to prosecutors.

CPD recently arrested Gomes after the construction project manager confirmed he had been working at the site on the day of the attack.

Judge Rivanda Doss Beal ordered Gomes detained after a hearing, citing the severity of the alleged assault.

“He knew that he was wrong as he fled from the site as soon as he hurt the victim,” Beal wrote in her detention order. She added that his alleged actions “are such a departure from the basic expectations of a civil society, it is hard to predict his compliance with court orders.”

Gomes is scheduled to be in court again next Wednesday.

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About Tim Hecke 1916 Articles
Tim Hecke is CWBChicago's managing partner. He started his career at KMOX, the legendary news radio station in St. Louis. From there, he moved on to work at stations in Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York City. Tim went on to build syndicated radio news and content services that served every one of America's 100 largest radio markets. He became CWBChicago's managing partner in 2019. His email address is [email protected]