COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Details emerged in a brutal alleged gang-related stabbing near Taylor Lauridsen Park that injured three people, one seriously, last weekend as four people were charged for the attack.
Two men and two women were charged in relation to the "mob action" stabbing, but they were only four of a group of 7 to 10 people who allegedly attacked the victims in Canaryville, prosecutors said at a bond hearing Sunday.
Courtney Vega, 19, of the 2900 block of South Throop; David Rice, 21, of the 500 block of West 46th Place; Joya Urbikas, 18, and Kevin Hoynes, 21, both of the 500 block of West Root Avenue, were each charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery, aggravated use of a deadly weapon and mob action against two people, police said in a statement.
The four defendants are part of the Insane Deuces gang, according to court documents.
News of the stabbing went viral last week when one victim, Kristina Fox, 30, identified herself, her brother Marcus Fox, 25, and her daughter's father Darrius Walton as the victims in a Facebook post, including photos of her injuries and her account of the night. Fox told ABC7 that the stabbing was racially motivated because she and the other victims are black and the attackers shouted racial slurs at them.
Around 3:19 a.m. May 30, the victims were driving to Taylor Lauridsen Park, 700 W. Root St., Assistant State's Attorney Akash Vyas said. On the way to the park, they met Hoynes, Urbikas and Vega and agreed to give them a ride to the park and hang out, Vyas said.
At that point, "Everyone was having a nice time," Kristina Fox wrote on Facebook.
When they arrived to the park, a large group of people, including Rice and another man (who has not been aprehended yet) approached the three victims and three other defendants. After an argument broke out between Hoynes and the un-apprehended man, Marcus Fox attempted to diffuse the situation, at which point Hoynes and the man began to attack Marcus Fox, Vyas said.
Kristina Fox attempted to stop the defendants and a group of at least six other people who were kicking, punching and attacking her brother, Vyas said.
During the attack, Vega pulled out a knife and stabbed Walton, and then walked across the street and stabbed Kristina Fox in the arm while she was on the ground. Marcus Fox attempted to come to the aid of his sister and Vega stabbed the brother twice in his chest, Vyas said.
Vega than gave the knife to Hoynes, who stabbed Marcus Fox four times in the ribs, Vyas said.
Marcus Fox suffered a punctured lung and his sister suffered multiple stab wounds to her body, and cuts to her face, Vyas said.
Both Marcus and Kristina Fox were taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition and treated for stab wounds, police said.
“They were throwing glass bottles, crutches, bricks and anything else they could find at us,” Fox wrote on Facebook. “As we continued to fight through this crowd of assailants to get away, more Caucasians came from out of nowhere and joined in brutally attacking us delivering closed-fist blows and kicks to our bodies and head. We began the fight of our lives.”
Supporters of Vega in court Sunday were crying as the judge set the bail. The victims were not present at the bond hearing. Vega was held on 150,000 bail.
Cook County Judge James Brown ordered Hoynes be held in lieu of $175,000 bail. Urbikas and Rice were each held in lieu of $75,000 bail. They are expected to return to court on June 11.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
