By Mark Konkol and Kara Spak; Contributing: Lisa Donovan
The Chicago Sun-Times
CHICAGO — Blood stained the sidewalk Wednesday near Dickens and Halsted, a posh Lincoln Park corner where you can get a fancy French meal, buy expensive shoes and practice yoga.
That’s the spot where Chicago firefighter Matt Jones was brutally beaten about 4 that morning by two attackers who are now in custody, police said.
Jones, 24, was listed in critical but stable condition with a shattered trachea in Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center’s intensive care unit. He also suffered a broken nose, internal bleeding and a damaged lung, according to a law enforcement source.
When police patrolling the area arrived, one attacker was punching Jones while another man stomped on his head, police said.
As officers got out of their squad car, one of the attackers took two steps, kicked Jones in the face and tried to run away, a source who was briefed by police said.
Two men were arrested. Charges were pending late Wednesday, authorities said.
Jones had been out with a few buddies Tuesday night, a friend said. He was not robbed, and the attack does not appear to be related to a recent string of brutal Lincoln Park robberies, police said.
Investigators have requested video footage from a nearby bar that is open until 4 a.m., a source said.
A former Marist High School wrestling star, Jones once took third place in the state tournament, weighing in at 152 pounds. He also played rugby at Western Illinois University.
At the Chicago Fire Academy, Jones won the “top physical achiever” award in his class and smashed the department record for hauling a hose up a fire escape, across a roof and back down. He beat the best time by 11 seconds.
Jones graduated from the fire academy Feb. 1 and was assigned to Engine 19 at 35th and Calumet in Bronzeville.
“He’s a great guy. Everything about him is quality. He’s 100 percent genuine,” said firefighter Mike Spencer, who was in Jones’ fire academy class.
“He’s a hard worker and probably one of the toughest guys I’ve ever met. You’ve got good friends in life, and there are guys who got your back no matter what. That’s Matt, he’s one of those guys.”
Jones — who has a tattoo on his arm in honor of his late brother Luke Jones, who was struck and killed while running across Lake Shore Drive in November 2008 — also works as a personal trainer at Lifetime Fitness in Orland Park on his days off.
“Matt is a great trainer, a great young guy,” said Mike Wolfe, who works with Jones at the gym. “I know he was devastated when his brother died, but you couldn’t tell. He’s that tough of a kid.”
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