An employee was arrested after prosecutors say he stabbed a customer, leaving him bleeding, after using a racial slur toward the victim at Sam’s Club in Gurnee.
Christopher M. Hill, 34, of Waukegan, was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, a Class 3 felony, and aggravated battery in a public place, a Class 3 felony.
The Gurnee Police Department was called around 3:20 p.m. on August 1 to Sam’s Club, 6570 Grand Avenue in Gurnee, for a report of a stabbing.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Vukovich said Hill, who is an employee of the Sam’s Club, was identified as the offender.
Officers spoke with the victim, who was a customer at the store, who said he was ordering a food item.
Hill, who was behind the counter, told the customer they were out of the item.
Vukovich said the customer had already been charged and the victim told Hill, “Can you look before charging me next time.”
The victim said Hill used vulgar language and a racial slur while getting into the victim’s face, Vukovich said.
The customer said that Hill disappeared momentarily and then came back with scissors and stabbed his shoulder in a “hook motion.”
The victim was bleeding and had a laceration on his shoulder approximately half an inch deep when officers arrived, Vukovich said.
Officers spoke with two witnesses, who were also customers standing in line.
Their stories corroborated what the victim told officers, who also obtained surveillance video.
Vukovich said the video shows Hill coming out from the back, reaching over the counter and stabbing the victim.
There were at least two other customers in the area and three other employees at the time of the stabbing.
One of the employees was right next to Hill when he stabbed the victim.
Vukovich said Hill admitted to his actions after being arrested, saying he aimed for the victim’s shoulder.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Hill pending trial, arguing he poses a real and present threat to the community.
“The defendant, while at his place of employment, reached over the counter and stabbed a customer. The defendant was not deterred by the fact that he was at work or that they were out in public with other people around,” Vukovich said.
“After the verbal discussion, the defendant chose to escalate the situation. Instead of just leaving, the defendant left and came back, with scissors, to execute his violent vision on a stranger,” Vukovich added.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition and said that Hill has prior offenses for home invasion, armed robbery, kidnapping, residential burglary and aggravated unlawful restraint.
Hill was arraigned on the charges on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty.
A case management conference is scheduled for September 29.