A chilling pattern of violence has resurfaced in Chicago with the arrest of William Livingston, a 32-year-old man accused of repeatedly targeting women in unprovoked attacks. Livingston was taken into custody on November 12th by Chicago Police and U.S. Marshals, bringing a temporary halt to a decade-long string of disturbing incidents.
The latest arrest stems from an incident in June, where Livingston allegedly struck two women – ages 29 and 40 – in a public space. He now faces two felony counts of aggravated battery, but this is far from his first encounter with the law.
The case echoes a brutal attack in 2017 against Kathleen Miles, a mother of eleven, as she walked to a train station. Surveillance footage captured the horrifying moment Livingston approached Miles from behind and delivered a single, devastating punch, rendering her unconscious.
“All I can think of is it takes so much anger to hit someone with so much force,” Miles recounted, grappling with the senselessness of the assault. “There’s no way to be prepared for this.” Livingston was initially charged with multiple felonies in connection with that attack.
Even more recently, in 2022, DePaul University student Cami Blechschmidt became another victim. While waiting for a ride after leaving a coffee shop, Livingston allegedly punched her in the face, leaving her reeling and terrified.
Blechschmidt vividly remembers the attack: “I felt a hand in my pocket, turned my head and there was a man directly in front of me, and he punched me directly in the face.” Investigators quickly discovered Livingston was suspected in four similar assaults within a mere 22-minute span.
Prior to 2022, Livingston’s record revealed a disturbing history of arrests dating back to 2015 and 2016, consistently involving charges of aggravated assault. This escalating pattern fueled concerns about his continued freedom and the safety of women in the area.
“I think that he’s definitely a repeat offender,” Blechschmidt stated, expressing frustration with the system. “They’re not doing anything to keep him in.” The question of why a man with such a documented history of violence remained on the streets loomed large.
Authorities had previously sought to detain Livingston, successfully petitioning a court for his pre-trial detention in a prior case. He remains in custody as investigations continue, and the community waits for answers and a sense of security.
