Chicago police have arrested a man suspected of biting off part of another man’s left ear Thursday morning during an attack across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago where he works, authorities said.
The victim was standing on the sidewalk on South Michigan Avenue around 6:45 a.m. when a man walked up and asked if he had a cigarette, police said. The first man said no, and the other man punched him in the head and bit off part of his ear.
The attacker ran off and the victim went to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was listed as stable. A manager at a Cosi restaurant said the victim took a cab to the hospital.
The manager said he recovered the severed ear and gave it to police, according to WGN-TV.
Officers arrested a suspect later in the afternoon and criminal charges were pending, according to a spokesman for police Superintendent Eddie Johnson.
The victim works at the Art Institute, according to spokeswoman Kati Murphy.
“This morning, an employee of the Art Institute of Chicago was assaulted and was treated for injuries at a local hospital,” the museum said in a statement. “The safety and well-being of our employees and students is our first concern, and we have notified our campus community immediately. We are working closely with the Chicago Police Department as they conduct their investigation. We have increased security around our 112 S. Michigan and 116 S. Michigan buildings.”
It directed questions about the attack to the Police Department.
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