Woman attacked, robbed after leaving Midlothian Metra station

MIDLOTHIAN, Ill. (WLS) -- Police in south suburban Midlothian are looking for a suspect who attacked a 22-year-old woman last week.

ABC7 Eyewitness News spoke exclusively with the college student who was beaten and robbed as she walked home from the Metra station.

"I was just screaming, trying to fight him off," said robbery victim Stephanie Lopez.

Lopez remembers the violent attack, punch by punch.

"He still comes behind me, hits me in my face, knocks me on the floor, gets on top of me, keeps hitting me on my head," said Lopez.

The college student who works two jobs in Chicago ended a long day at the Midlothian Metra stop. It was after midnight, July 29. She called her brother for a ride home.

"I was really tired, I just wanted to get home, so I started walking," said Lopez.

She walked two blocks and was at Abbottsford Road and Central Park when a masked man wearing all black, attacked and robbed her.

"Finally, he just grabbed my purse, ripped it from its straps and ran down Central Park, down that way," said Lopez. "I started screaming at the top of my lungs. I've been robbed, somebody help me!"

And residents did, calling 911.

"I'm blessed the lady actually came out, not a lot of people would, kind of ignore it, it's not my business," said Nina Lopez, victim's aunt.

On Wednesday night, her aunt picked her up. Her dad is disgusted with the attacker.

"A guy who hits a woman for nickels and dimes, what not, that's just not a person. That's a scum," said Eddie Simanis, victim's father.

"He probably lives around the neighborhood, probably have seen him here or there, we just don't notice. Maybe he watches our moves and knows our routines?" said Lopez.

Midlothian police have more patrols Wednesday night. For Lopez, the village changed in matter of minutes.

"It just opened up my eyes that even in Midlothian, something can happen," said Lopez.

The suspect wore a black ski mask and hooded sweatshirt and is described as about 5-foot-9, weighing 180 to 215 pounds.

Midlothian police said that if you get off the Metra and someone approaches you, be ready to draw attention to yourself by screaming, yelling, and knocking on neighbors' doors. Police said they are following all leads in hopes of catching the suspect.