The mayor of Winchester is offering his thoughts about the stabbing incident yesterday.
WLDS/WEAI News received preliminary reports of a man stabbed in the abdomen Tuesday morning shortly before noon. The incident apparently happened at the Pitt Stop restaurant in Winchester, after a reported argument ensued at the restaurant.
Though Winchester police initially began the investigation of the incident, Illinois State Police Zone 4 Investigators were called in to assist with the investigation and have since been established as the leading agency as an investigation into this stabbing incident continues.
Mayor Rex McIntire says a routine stop to City Hall suddenly turned to a call to action.
“I normally stop by City Hall to see if they need anything from me – checks signed or anything of that nature. As I was leaving shortly before noon, I heard a man shout out that another man had been stabbed at a building adjacent to City Hall, about 200 feet away. I saw the victim come out of the building; obviously he was in distress. The person I heard shout was a correctional officer that was there with some inmates from one of the local work camps. So he and I went to assist the man who had been stabbed. We brought him over to City Hall for warmth and to wait for an ambulance.”
Mayor McIntire details what he knows about the emergency treatment for the victim.
“Our local EMS picked him up first. I don’t know when or how he was transferred, but it’s my understanding that he was taken to Passavant and then transferred to Memorial.”
Mayor McIntire praises the Winchester City Hall staff for their help and effort yesterday.
“Our ladies in the front office at the City Hall were also very important in helping out. They were instrumental in quickly calling 911 and getting the information to them, as well as helping to suppress the bleeding from the victim. So they honestly deserve more kudos than I do.”
Reports of the victim being taken to hospital via helicopter are presumably of the victim to Memorial Hospital in Springfield. A Master Sergeant with State Police Zone 4 Investigations says a press release will be issued soon, likely at some time today, with a detailed report of the ISP’s preliminary investigation into the incident.