Victim Impact Statement

Dear Your Honor:

I am writing to give my Victim Impact Statement for the assault that occurred by the defendant on December 2, 2017.

I was running north on Sixth Street between Monroe and Adams on the sidewalk.  As I approached Studio on 6^th and Del’s Popcorn Shop, I noticed the defendant sitting on the bench and she started to point at me and say something unintelligible.  As I continued to run, I moved closer to the buildings to give her space.  She jumped up and ran directly at me, hitting me, while saying that I was an Aryan and she needed to kill me.  I am an experienced runner but I had to sprint at full speed and she was still able to assault me several times.  She was punching me and grabbing at my clothing around my neck to pull me down to the ground.  I was yelling, “No, no, no!” with my arm outstretched to try to keep her away.  She was hitting me several times, grabbing at my clothing, and trying to tackle me to the ground, all the while she was saying that she needed to kill me.  I noticed that she had something in her hand, but I didn’t know what it was until after she was arrested.  The police told me that she had a knife.  After several minutes, I was able to break away and run as fast as I could across 6^th Street to Café Andiamo.   I screamed for help, told them that the defendant was going to kill me, and to call 9-1-1.  The staff immediately took me to the back and went outside to track the defendant.  The defendant immediately hid and changed her hat to avoid identification.

I sustained bruises and scratches from this attack on my arms, back, and especially around my neck where the defendant was pulling at my clothing to pull me down to the ground.  My clothing was stretched and ripped.

I suffered from nightmares and anxiety attacks for weeks after the attack.  I had to seek mental health counseling for the anxiety and PTSD I experienced as a result of the attack.  I was afraid for the safety of my children and my family.  My children had to see their strong, resilient mother upset and terrified.  My spouse had to hold me while I cried whenever the wave of fear would hit me.  I was afraid to run in my own city and I was afraid to run anywhere alone.  Running is a major part of my life, yet it has been tarnished by this attack.  I am afraid to be downtown, a place I loved, especially in the area of the attack.   I am afraid of people on the street.  I truly was traumatized by these events and I will carry them with me for the rest of my life.  This trauma was felt again when I learned of the defendant’s release.  I have to remind myself daily that the defendant will not be able to hurt me again.

To be honest, I am very upset that the defendant has been allowed to be released and to be assigned to the mental health court.  I understand that the defendant suffers from mental illness, but as the court is aware, this is not her first criminal offense.  She made the choice to stop taking her medication and she attacked a stranger on the street.  I am a mother of young children, a wife, a daughter, a granddaughter, a niece, a friend, a colleague, and a professional.  I did not engage the defendant in any way, yet she threatened my life multiple times while assaulting me and trying to tackle me to the ground.  I am still terrorized by the thought of what could have happened had I not been able to get away.  What if I had not been a runner?

I understand that the defendant has stipulations to her probation and I beg the court to be vigilant if she violates any condition of her probation.  She made a choice to stop taking her medication and she attacked a complete stranger and threatened my life.  Next time, the attack could be deadly.  I am speaking out to protect any future victims of this defendant.

To the defendant, I beg of you to make the most of this opportunity to be on probation and to seek treatment.  I beg of you to think how you would feel if you or your family member had been attacked, unprovoked, by someone on the street.  I know that you suffer from a mental illness and I do want you to get the treatment you need.  However, I do not believe your treatment should be at the risk of the next person who encounters you in a delusional state.  Please take your medication and live the best life you can!  Please do not ever terrorize or attack another innocent person.