Man arrested in recent knife incident at tent encampment allegedly assaulted officers at Gompers Park during park cleanup earlier this year

A MAN WAS ARRESTED at about 11 a.m. Sunday, July 13, at a tent encampment in the 5100 block of North Pulaski Road, for allegedly attacking a man earlier with a knife that day, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.

A 27-year-old man reported at about 12:25 a.m. that he was at the encampment at Foster and Pulaski when he got into an argument with the man and it escalated, according to police.

The man reported that the man allegedly cut both of his forearms and his right wrist, police said. The man was transported to Saint Francis Hospital where he was treated for his injuries, police said. The 27-year-old man reported that when he returned to the camp the man allegedly exited his tent, approached him with a black metal bar and attempted to hit him, according to police. Officers placed the man into custody after he was identified, police said.

The suspect was identified by police as Ivan Y. Rodriguez-Suniaga, age 33, of the 5100 block of North Pulaski Road.

Residents of the former encampment at Gompers Park have been allowed to move to an area of Eugene Field Park. Tents are being allowed on what is sometimes called the “annex” of Field Park because it is a newer section of the park. The Chicago Park District purchased the parcel, which is located across from Gompers, in 2003 in an effort to help protect a greenway along the embankment of the North Branch of the Chicago River, which runs through the parcel.

Rodriguez-Suniaga was also arrested on Feb. 21 at Gompers Park, 4222 W. Foster Ave., during a park district cleanup of the encampment there in the winter, police said.

He allegedly refused to leave a yurt before the park district was about to have the living structure demolished, and he allegedly threatened officers, according to Chicago police.

An officer reported that the man ignored several orders to leave the yurt and that the man had in his hands a large propane tank attached to a handheld gas-operated heater, allegedly threatening to blow up those who were there, police said.

Officers reportedly escorted the man out of the structure, but he became upset and allegedly started struggling with one of the officers, while another performed an emergency take down of the man, police said.

The man reportedly removed a winter cap from one of the officers and knocked off the officer’s glasses, police said. The man also allegedly threw a hard rectangular object toward an officer, police said.

The suspect was charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a peace officer, three counts of resisting or obstructing a peace officer and one count of simple assault, according to police.

The suspect also was cited for lighting or making use of a fire on park property, police said.

This is just part of today’s coverage. Get the full story - every article, every ad, every page. Subscribe now.

The Latest From Our Community