Authorities have announced that four people were killed and five injured in Rockford, Illinois, in what the mayor calls a “random and senseless act of violence.” First responders found stabbing victims in several locations, in the wake of the attack by the 22-year-old suspect, who has been apprehended. But there is no known motive at this time.

"Right now, we don’t have a clear motive in regards to what caused this individual to commit such heinous crimes," Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd told reporters.

Rockford is a city about 60 miles northwest of Chicago, with a population of around 150,000.

Four people are dead and another five injured after a mass stabbing attack in Rockford, Illinois.

Suspect is in custody. No motive known at this time. A mail carrier is among the victims. pic.twitter.com/VJXMugJO5A

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) March 27, 2024

Redd expressed her shock:

Some of the victims, including a woman who fled a home invasion in Winnebago County and a man who tried to help her, were stabbed, officials said.

A suspect has been taken into custody, and police are not looking for anyone else involved in the violence at "multiple scenes" in Rockford and an area of the county shortly after 1 p.m., authorities said.

"Words can’t even express my thoughts right now," Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd told reporters. She said the suspect committed "heinous crimes."

🚨🇺🇸 BREAKING: STABBING ATTACK IN ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS LEAVES AT LEAST 4 DEAD

The suspect killed at least 4 people, including a mail carrier, and injured 5 others.

pic.twitter.com/htxY1g1ZA0

— Kacee Allen 🇺🇸 (@KaceeRAllen) March 27, 2024

At least one of the survivors is listed in critical condition. Knife wounds caused some of the deaths, but it’s not yet clear if all the injuries suffered by the victims were from stabbing. A gun was not used, however. One of the victims has been identified as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service.

The tragic events began in the early afternoon:

A report came into Rockford's dispatch center at 1:14 p.m. about a medical call, Redd said, and other calls followed asking for police help.

In a neighborhood in the Rockford area that is part of Winnebago County, there was a home invasion and a woman fled but was stabbed in the hands and face, Sheriff Gary Caruana said.

She was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and has been intubated, he said. A man who intervened to help her suffered stab wounds, but "he’s fine" and being evaluated, Caruana said.

A sheriff's deputy took the suspect, who has not been identified, into custody, Caruana said.

Authorities from multiple departments are continuing their investigation, and we will bring you more information as warranted.

Editor's Note: this article was edited for clarity after publication.