Northwest Side Man Charged In Northerly Island Concert Stabbings

CHICAGO, IL — A Northwest Side man faces battery charges after allegedly stabbing two people Tuesday during a Rancid and Dropkick Murphys concert at Northerly Island. Thomas Christensen, 34, of the 2400 block of West Haddon Avenue, was charged with felony aggravated battery using a deadly weapon and misdemeanor battery stemming from the incident at the concert venue. His bail hearing is set for Thursday.

According to Chicago police, an earlier argument between Christensen and the victims — a 29-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman — at a bar in Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island escalated into a violent attack that happened at about 9:28 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8. Once inside the concert area, Christensen allegedly approached the man and stabbed him in the face and neck. He then cut the woman, who suffered a minor wound to the chest, before he was wrestled to the ground and detained, police said.

Both victims were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and the man was in serious condition, while the woman was in good condition, according to police. Christensen was treated for superficial wounds at the scene and was taken into custody. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Chicago — or your neighborhood. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

RELATED: 2 Stabbed At Rancid-Dropkick Murphys Concert

Following the incident, a Chicago Park District official told the Chicago Sun-Times he had questions for the private security firm that screened concert-goers as they entered the event. Chicago Park District General Counsel Tim King said he wanted to know how someone was able to smuggle a knife past Monterrey Security, the company in charge of security for the Northerly Island concert. King said the district is working with Chicago police and LiveNation, the promoter who hired Monterrey, to see how the knife got past guards using metal-detecting wands.

Thomas Christensen, 34 (Photo via the Chicago Police Department)

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