A dispute between two men soliciting money on a Wilmette sidewalk turned violent Friday morning, Oct. 30, when police say one of them tried to run the other over with his car, drove over his hand, and then got out and attempted to stab him with a small knife. Nearly a week later, Chicago resident Kevin Siduan Mora-Canelones was taken into custody on a felony attempted-murder charge.
Altercation Erupted on Green Bay Road
According to The Record North Shore, Mora-Canelones and the alleged victim were soliciting money on the sidewalk in the 100 block of Green Bay Road around 9:45 a.m. when the confrontation broke out. Wilmette police told Patch that officers responded at about 9:52 a.m. to a report of an altercation and found that one man had suffered non-life-threatening injuries while the suspect had already fled.
Police allege Mora-Canelones repeatedly tried to strike the other man with his car, first in a parking lot and then on the sidewalk itself, according to the village's press release cited by The Record North Shore. At some point during the attack, the vehicle ran over the victim's hand, Patch reports. Mora-Canelones then allegedly got out of the car and tried to stab the man with a small pocket-type knife before fleeing the area by 9:53 a.m.
Police Say Feud Involved Two Families
Investigators believe the fight stemmed from an ongoing dispute between the two men's families, rather than a random encounter between strangers. Patch's report on the case describes the clash as tied to that same family conflict, a detail that underscores how a routine morning on a busy North Shore commercial strip escalated so quickly.
Wilmette Police Chief Michael Robinson said peaceful solicitation is a constitutionally protected right under the First Amendment, and that the department is committed to protecting the rights of all individuals, according to The Record North Shore. Robinson also commended responding officers and investigators for aggressively investigating the case over the following days to ensure community safety.
Manhunt Led Detectives to Chicago
Wilmette detectives moved fast. By 2 p.m. that same Friday, they had identified Mora-Canelones and located him at a residence in Chicago, according to both The Record North Shore and Patch. Officers reportedly surveilled him for six days as the case developed. Evanston Now identified him as Kevin Siduan Mora-Canelones of the 5000 block of South Justine in Chicago.
The Cook County State's Attorney's Office approved a felony attempted-murder warrant, and Wilmette detectives subsequently obtained an arrest warrant from a Cook County Circuit Court judge, which was reportedly issued Nov. 3. Two days later, on Thursday, members of the U.S. Marshals' Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and Wilmette police officers apprehended Mora-Canelones in Chicago without incident.
Suspect Held Pending Court Appearance
Police said Mora-Canelones was being held in custody under the arrest warrant pending an initial court appearance. Under Illinois law, attempted murder is charged under 720 ILCS 5/8-4, the state's attempt statute, which applies when a person takes a substantial step toward committing a crime such as murder with the requisite intent.
Wilmette police have not released further details about the alleged victim's identity or the extent of his injuries beyond describing them as non-life-threatening. The case remains under investigation as the next steps in the court process unfold.
