The incident happened in the 200-block of South Canal Street around 1:30 p.m. in the West Loop, Chicago police said.
Arlene Rado's husband Alan told ABC7 she was walking her dog Mickey when she was blindsided by her attacker. Police said a man stabbed the woman with a "sharp object," then ran off. Officers found him and took him into custody.
"I said, 'you okay?' She goes, 'I got stabbed!' You got stabbed?" Alan said.
The woman's husband said she initially thought she was being punched from behind and then realized she was being stabbed. He said a nearby pedestrian saw the incident and rushed to help her, going so far as to open their suitcase and use their own clothes to help staunch the bleeding.
"She said, 'somebody put their arm around me and I thought he was punching me in the back and on my neck, then I realized there was blood on the sidewalk and it was mine, and then I realized I was being stabbed," Alan said.
Rado was taken to the Northwestern Medical Center in critical condition. Her husband said she was in surgery and as far as he had been told she was expected to be okay. He said they live just a few blocks from Union Station.
Police said they were able to recover a sharp object from the scene and the attack appears to be random.
"Supposedly he dropped the knife and took off so there was no conversation," Alan said. "There was nothing."
Alan said what was concerning to him was the timing and randomness of the attack. His wife told him the suspect didn't say or demand anything, but just started stabbing her in broad daylight.
Thankfully, a stranger nearby jumped in to help.
"This good Samaritan, I guess he had his suitcase, opened it up and helped with the blood," Alan said. "Put something on her to keep her from bleeding."
Cell phone video captured the moment police captured the alleged attacker thanks to the help of Good Samaritans. One of them told ABC7 that he and another man chased the suspect and cornered him in a nearby parking garage.
"It's wonderful that we have people in the city that can do something like that," Alan said. "I think says a lot about the city and about the people that live here."
He is happy to share his wife will be okay and their dog is also safe.
Charges are pending. CPD Area detectives are investigating.
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