Justice appears to be on the horizon for the victims of a string of violent encounters in Chicago, particularly attacks targeting women. Derek Rucker, 37, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a series of unprovoked assaults, which include spitting on women and delivering a punch to a woman in River North. This stems from incidents along Chicago train lines that have brought months of fear to the community.
While Rucker begins his prison term, another alleged serial attacker, 32-year-old William Livingston, is now facing two felony counts of aggravated battery in a public place relating to attacks on June 12 in Lincoln Park. Striking two women without provocation, one of the victims was left with significant facial injuries after Livingston's assault. Despite being arrested over a dozen times for similar offenses, his continued acts of violence have placed the efficacy of the criminal legal system's handling of violent repeat offenders under scrutiny, according to The Chicago Sun-Times.
One notable victim, 56-year-old Kathleen Miles, suffered a concussion along with broken facial bones from a previous attack attributed to Livingston. Miles, a mother of 11, recalls the unprovoked assault with clarity, stating, "He came from behind, he kinda blasted between the two of us and separated us pushed us apart and stood in front of me and hit me in the face with so much force that he broke the bones of my face." These words highlight the shock and brutality of the incident she shared in an interview with NBC Chicago.
The trauma for Miles and other victims persists. "I struggle with it every day, I struggle with just fear of being hurt," Miles said, pointing to the invisible scars that linger beyond the physical injuries sustained. Worrisome checks the feelings of helplessness and anxiety that trail the seemingly random attacks, often leaving deep psychological impacts along with the visible wounds, said a victim in 2022 who was interviewed by NBC Chicago. Livingston, with a history of mental health issues, again finds himself in the hands of the legal system, having already been in and out of psychiatric treatment and jail, with his latest detainment happening following a hearing on the Miles case.
