A mother from the suburbs of Chicago was randomly attacked by a group of assailants while heading home from work, prompting President Trump to consider sending in the National Guard to address the city’s rampant crime issue.
Kathleen Miles sustained multiple broken bones, bruises, and a concussion as a result of an unprovoked assault near Union Station in downtown Chicago on August 19th.
According to arrest records, the attacker, William Livingston, is a repeat offender with at least 12 arrests since 2012 and a history of violent behavior.
Miles was walking alongside her co-workers when, reportedly, Livingston pushed them apart before striking her in the face. “She told me, ‘This guy came between us and pulled us apart, then slammed me in the face,'” Miles recounted, referencing her colleague’s account.
Miles’s next memory was waking up in a hospital, feeling pain without any recollection of the attack. “I woke up and my colleague was there saying, ‘You’re fine. You’re in the hospital. You were assaulted,'” she shared.
The first face she recognized after regaining consciousness was her daughter, Deanna, who reassured her, “Hello mom, I’m here. You’re fine.”
Livingston, 32, was charged with three counts of aggravated battery, among other charges, accumulating a significant criminal record with 17 arrests since 2014.
Miles expressed frustration over the urban policies that allowed someone like Livingston to roam free. “It’s 2025 and he’s out. If he were held accountable, I wouldn’t be here injured,” she lamented.
As crime continues to escalate in Chicago—highlighted by a particularly violent Labor Day weekend with 58 shootings and eight fatalities—President Trump criticized local leaders. He indicated plans to deploy federal forces to aid in restoring order.
Trump, aged 79, revealed his intention to send the National Guard but did not specify when this would occur. “We’re going in,” he declared in a meeting, further stating, “If the governor of Illinois calls, let him know I want to do it.” He emphasized the administration’s authority to take such action regardless of local decisions.
