Around 6:45 a.m., a 51-year-old man was standing on the sidewalk in the 100-block of South Michigan Avenue, pulling out his ID, when a man he didn't know walked up to him and asked if he had a light.
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When the victim said he didn't, police said the suspect punched him in the back of the head and bit or cut off part of his left ear. The suspect ran away, heading south on Michigan.
ABC7 Eyewitness News spoke with a man who did not wish to be identified who said that he witnessed the bizarre attack.
"Out of the corner of my eye, I see two guys side by side. One guy took a swing at the other guy," he said. "And I thought it was a punch, but when I went outside to check on the guy, he was missing part of his ear."
The victim, who police confirmed works for the Art Institute, was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where his condition stabilized.
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Police said 53-year-old Donnell Young is charged with one felony count of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and one felony count of aggravated battery in a public place. Police said after his arrest Young admitted to officers that he bit the victim.
He will appear in bond court Friday.
A spokesperson for the Art Institute of Chicago said there is increased security around their buildings.
"The safety and well-being of our employees and students is our first concern, and we have notified our campus community immediately. We are working closely with the Chicago Police Department as they conduct their investigation," the spokesperson said in an email.