A Wisconsin woman is behind bars after police say she turned a suburban Illinois mall parking lot into a scene of chaos — and then bragged about it online while daring officers to come find her.
According to authorities, 25-year-old Katelyn A. Harmon is facing a staggering list of charges after allegedly hitting two pedestrians with her car outside Gurnee Mills, fleeing the scene, posting a confession on Facebook, and then launching a knife attack just minutes later.
Police say the violence began around 10:05 a.m. Monday in the Hobby Lobby parking lot along West Grand Avenue. Harmon allegedly drove her 2010 Toyota Camry into a 79-year-old man who was standing near his vehicle, seriously injuring him. She then used the car to strike a 60-year-old woman, who suffered an ankle injury. Both victims were transported to nearby hospitals, and the Camry sped off before officers arrived.
By 10:40 a.m., law enforcement agencies across the area were alerted to look for the damaged vehicle, which police say had a visibly cracked windshield from the impact. But instead of leaving town, investigators allege Harmon barely left the scene at all.
Police say she drove roughly 850 feet to a nearby parking lot behind a Panera Bread, where she allegedly posted a chilling Facebook confession at 10:31 a.m., complete with photos of her damaged car. In the post, Harmon reportedly wrote that she had run over people in the Gurnee Mills parking lot, invoking religious phrases and thanking multiple deities.
Minutes later, authorities say she escalated. At 10:37 a.m., Harmon allegedly recorded a video of herself sitting in her car, brandishing a large kitchen knife and taunting police. In the clip, she claimed she had “outsmarted the cops,” mocked her own homelessness, and challenged viewers to call police on her — while revealing her exact location.
According to police, the video was followed almost immediately by another burst of violence. Harmon allegedly exited her vehicle and attacked a nearby Hyundai Tucson, smashing its window and slashing a tire with the knife. When the driver got out, a physical struggle broke out. The man suffered multiple cuts to his hands but managed to disarm and restrain Harmon until officers arrived.
Responding officers swarmed the area and used a Taser-like device to subdue her, police said. Authorities believe the attacks were random and that Harmon had no prior connection to any of the victims.
During a court appearance Wednesday, prosecutors played a custodial interview that underscored the severity of the case. When an officer asked if she had come to the area intending to commit murder, Harmon reportedly replied that she had been planning to kill someone. Asked why, she allegedly said: “I just went rogue.”
Later in the interview, when an officer mentioned resources available for people experiencing homelessness, Harmon reportedly laughed and said she would do it again and needed help.
Harmon is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, multiple counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, and failure to report a crash involving injury. She is scheduled to appear in court again on Feb. 26.
