Witnesses stepped in near a Westfield Old Orchard pond before police arrested a man now facing three felony charges.
SKOKIE, Ill. — Shoppers and other bystanders intervened when police say a man attacked a senior citizen near a pond at Westfield Old Orchard on Tuesday, separating the two before officers arrived and took the suspect into custody.
The intervention became a key part of the police account of an incident that has since led to attempted murder and aggravated battery charges against William Dobbs, 35, of Skokie. Authorities said the woman was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. Police have not publicly identified her.
Officers were called to the shopping center shortly after 11 a.m. following reports of an attempted robbery and battery. Police said witnesses reported seeing a man trying to take a woman’s purse near a pond at the north end of the mall. Investigators later said Dobbs and the woman did not know each other before the encounter.
Police allege that Dobbs struck the woman with a saddle-type bag and pushed her into the pond. Authorities said he then held her head underwater. Witnesses moved in and separated the two before responding officers reached them, according to police. Local reports said some of those who intervened entered the water to help the woman.
An initial report indicated the man might have had a handgun, adding urgency to the first accounts from the scene. Police later said that report could not be substantiated. Officers detained Dobbs at the shopping center without authorities reporting any further violence after their arrival.
The woman was transported to a hospital for treatment after the incident. Police described her injuries as non-life-threatening but did not provide more detailed medical information. Her exact age was not released in the reports reviewed Wednesday, though prosecutors approved a charge of aggravated battery to a senior citizen.
Dobbs was charged with one count of attempted murder, one count of aggravated battery to a senior citizen and one count of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. He was expected to appear Wednesday at the Skokie Cook County courthouse for a detention hearing. The allegations against him have not been proven in court.
Westfield Old Orchard management said it was aware of the incident and was cooperating with the Skokie Police Department. The shopping center said the safety of visitors, retailers and employees remained a priority and directed questions about the case to law enforcement. Reports from the property Wednesday indicated a continued security presence around the area where the attack occurred.
The case remains under investigation, with police seeking information from people who may have witnessed the confrontation. Investigators have not publicly announced a motive beyond the initial report of an attempted purse theft, and authorities have not released further information about the relationship between the charges and any robbery allegation.
Author note: Last updated October 14, 2026.