Rockford man lauded as a hero, good Samaritan for his actions during mass stabbing
Authorities say Christian I. Soto had already killed four people and injured five others before he busted through Lindsay Craig's window Wednesday afternoon in the 4600 block of Florence Street.
Winnebago County Sheriff's Deputies say Soto, 22, had beat a teenage girl to death with a bat; stabbed two adults to death including his childhood friend and his friend's mother; and stabbed and run over a 49-year-old mail carrier with a pickup truck at other houses in the neighborhood during an inexplicable killing spree.
His next victim was Craig.
Police said Soto started attacking Craig with a knife in her Florence Street home. Injured, she fled into the street, and Soto chased her, police said, tackling her in the 2100 block of Eggleston Road and stabbing her in her hands, arm and face as she tried to fight back.
That's when a "good Samaritan" came to Craig's defense, Sheriff Gary Caruana said.
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According to Caruana and court documents, Keith Fahrney, who lives in the neighborhood, was driving by when Soto was in the process of attacking Craig. Fahrney slammed on the brakes, leaving his gray Jeep in the middle of the street, and rushed to help Craig.
"(Soto) was in the process of stabbing her," Caruana said during a news conference Thursday. "The good Samaritan stopped that situation. She could easily have been deceased if he did not become involved with that."
Fahrney was able to stop the attack on Craig, but now Soto was attacking him, cutting him on his head and neck.
At one point, police said Soto got into Fahrney's Jeep "in an attempt to steal it."
"Keith Fahrney pulled Christian Soto from the Jeep but was again being attacked with the knife," deputies wrote in a factual court summary. "It was at this time the police arrived."
Caruana said deputies and Rockford Police Department officers entered into a foot chase, leaping over fences to capture Soto less than 20 minutes after the first 911 call. A deputy suffered a stab wound to the hand while bringing the man into custody, Caruana said.
Officials said Craig was critically injured in the attack, but her condition on Thursday evening was not known.
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on Twitter @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Sheriff praises Rockford 'good Samaritan' for stopping to help victim
