Four people have been killed and seven injured in a knife attack in a residential area of Rockford, Illinois, according to officials.
(CNN) — Four people were killed and seven others were injured in multiple stabbings in Rockford, Illinois, on Wednesday afternoon, police said. A suspect is in custody.
A 15-year-old girl, a 63-year-old woman, a 49-year-old man and a 22-year-old man were killed in the incident and five others who were injured were taken to a local hospital with “serious” injuries. injuries,” the Rockford Police Department said in a statement Wednesday night.
Five people were injured in the city of Rockford and two in Winnebago County jurisdiction, Rockford police spokeswoman Michelle Marcomb told CNN.
“We have multiple scenes at this time, and we’re still working to notify the families,” Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said at a news conference Wednesday. He said federal, city and county officials are responding to the scene. Rockford is located 145 miles west of Chicago.
Redd said his department’s dispatch center received a call for medical assistance at 1:14 p.m. local time, followed by other calls for police to respond to.
Police then responded to multiple addresses in the area of Holmes Street, Winnetka Drive and Cleveland Avenue, the news release says. According to police, the suspect, a 22-year-old man, was arrested at 1:35 p.m.
Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana said county officials received a report of a home invasion at an address at “Florence and Eggleston” just after 1:00 p.m. He said a girl ran away from the suspect.
“The girl ran away from him. She got some stab wounds on her hand and face,” he said. “She is hospitalized and intubated. She is in critical condition.”
Caruana said a good Samaritan who stopped to help the woman also suffered stab wounds. “It’s OK. It’s being investigated,” the sheriff said.
“We have no clear motive for this man to commit such heinous crimes,” Redd told reporters, adding that police do not believe any other suspects are at large.
Police said not all of the victims were stabbed or shot, but did not say how the other victims died or were injured. One of the deceased victims was a mail carrier, according to the sheriff.
“This is a very active, multi-level, multi-agency investigation and has many parts,” said a statement released Wednesday night. “As with any investigation, more details and charges may come at a later date.”
Police urged residents to check their cameras and doorbells for any video recordings related to the incidents, and to submit any tips to police or anonymously through Rockford Area Crime Stoppers.
Speaking at a press conference, Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said he was “absolutely shocked by this act of violence and the impact it is now having on the lives of multiple families.”
Counselors will be at Flynn Middle School to help affected individuals and families this Thursday and Friday, he said.
“It’s hard to understand how this could happen and how emotional and raw the community is tonight,” the mayor said in a Facebook post. “As a father, son, husband, mayor and Rockford supporter, my heart breaks for those who lost their lives, their families and our community.”
— CNN’s Emma Tucker and Jennifer Feldman contributed to this report.
