William Livingston, 32, was arrested on Nov. 12 on charges tied to an alleged June 12 assault that left two women injured. Authorities say the arrest is part of a pattern of nearly decade-long alleged random attacks on women, including incidents that left victims unconscious or struck while waiting for rides. Prosecutors have sought pretrial detention and say Livingston remains in custody as investigations and additional charges continue. Victims and community members have called him a repeat offender and raised concerns about public safety.
Chicago Man Arrested Again After Years of Alleged Random Attacks on Women
William Livingston, 32, was arrested on Nov. 12 on charges tied to an alleged June 12 assault that left two women injured. Authorities say the arrest is part of a pattern of nearly decade-long alleged random attacks on women, including incidents that left victims unconscious or struck while waiting for rides. Prosecutors have sought pretrial detention and say Livingston remains in custody as investigations and additional charges continue. Victims and community members have called him a repeat offender and raised concerns about public safety.
09:43 PM, 11/19/2025Society
Chicago police and U.S. Marshals from the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 32-year-old William Livingston on Nov. 12 in connection with an alleged June 12 assault in which two women, ages 29 and 40, were struck. Authorities say he now faces two felony counts of aggravated battery in a public place.
The June incident is the latest in a string of alleged random attacks that span nearly a decade. Prosecutors and law enforcement records indicate multiple prior encounters in which women were reportedly targeted without provocation.
Notable prior incidents
One widely cited incident involved Kathleen Miles, a mother of 11, who was walking to a train station with a co-worker when surveillance footage shows a man approach from behind and punch her, knocking her unconscious. "All I can think of is it takes so much anger to hit someone with so much force," Miles said. "There’s no way to be prepared for this." After that attack, Livingston was taken into custody and charged with multiple counts, including aggravated battery and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.
In 2022, a DePaul University student, Cami Blechschmidt, said she was waiting for a ride when she felt a hand in her pocket, turned, and was struck in the face. Police later said Livingston was arrested roughly 15 minutes after that alleged assault and investigators reported several similar attacks in the area within a short time frame. He was charged with multiple counts of aggravated battery related to those incidents.
Public records show Livingston has a history of arrests stretching back several years, including arrests and assault-related charges reported in the mid-2010s. Victims and community members have described him as a repeat offender and questioned whether earlier interventions were sufficient to protect the public.
In a statement, prosecutors said they evaluate each case based on the available evidence and the law and that they seek pretrial detention for individuals who pose a danger to the community when appropriate. They noted that a petition for detention was filed and granted at the defendant’s initial court appearance, and that he remains in custody pending ongoing investigations and additional charges tied to separate incidents.
The Chicago Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service did not immediately provide additional comment on the most recent arrest.