Chicago serial puncher William Livingston charged for June attacks on random women
A Chicago man who has a long criminal record of physically attacking random people has been arrested and charged with felonies for two random attacks in June.
An investigation by CBS News Chicago found William Livingston has been arrested at least 20 times dating back to 2012 but keeps being released from custody.
In June, Livingston was identified by two victims as their attacker. He struck a 40-year-old woman and a 29-year-old woman in separate incidents in the 2700 block of North Clark Street on June 12.
One of those victims, Anne Kurze, identified him from a police lineup as her attacker.
"He stood about this far from me, and punched me, and then kept walking north up the street," she told CBS News Investigative Reporter Dave Savini.
CBS News Chicago spoke with Kruze today after charges in her attack were formally filed.
"Any day he is off the street is a good day," she said. "It does stir up a lot of big feelings, a lot of free floating anxiety, fear, that feeling of being so scared back in June."
Kurze suffered a neck injury and concussion after being hit by Livingston.
"It could have been so much worse, this guy is strong, and scary and he knows what he's doing," she said.
Livingston is also accused of striking two women and a 15-year-old girl randomly in separate attacks while they were walking from River North to the Loop earlier this year.
Chicago police said is now charged with two felony counts of aggravated battery in a public place for the June attacks. He has been in custody in Cook County jails since August, when prosecutors said he knocked a woman out as she was walking in the Loop.
Livingston was set to appear for a detention hearing Thursday morning but the Cook County State's Attorney's Office said he is being directly indicted in the case, which means they are taking the evidence straight to a grand jury.