Man hit in face with gun, fights off would-be carjackers in Gage Park; 3 teens charged

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A 69-year-old man fought back Tuesday night after three juveniles tried to rob him in a carjacking on Chicago's Southwest Side, police said.

Raul Sanchez was sitting in his parked car with the window down in the 2900-block of West 59th Street just after 11:40 p.m. Tuesday. Police said that's when the three teens, a 16-year-old boy and two 15-year-old boys, walked up to the vehicle.

One of them allegedly struck the man in the face with a gun, pulled him out of his car and said he was going to rob him.

"I didn't feel any pain. I was mad," Sanchez said.

Sanchez works as a butcher and knows how to handle a knife, and fortunately had a pocketknife with him and was able to defend himself against the attempted carjacking. He said as the teens climbed into his car, he picked himself up, took out a four-inch pocketknife and stabbed the teen who punched him in the kidney area.

"So I hit him one time right there. And he screams and runs. All of them run," he said.

The boys jumped out of the car and ran away with the victim's car keys.

"I said, 'No, no. C'mon, God. C'mon, God.' I was thinking of my kids you know, so I was lucky," Sanchez said.

The juveniles apparently had no idea that Sanchez works as a butcher.

Officers who responded to the scene went to Holy Cross Hospital, where they thought the suspects might go to get help. They found all three boys there.

The injured suspect was transferred in good condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was treated for a stab wound to the torso.

All three were arrested. Each juvenile was charged with one count of felony aggravated vehicular hijacking.

Sanchez said he was aware of all the recent carjackings but never imagined he'd be targeted.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.