A Chicago man allegedly lured firefighters into a house and attacked them with a knife Tuesday.
The suspect, 47-year-old Melvin Jordan, allegedly told the firefighters about a gas smell inside the home. The firefighters had been responding to a nearby garage fire when Jordan told them about the alleged issue, WLS reported.
As the Chicago Fire Department (CFD) battalion chief and lieutenant approached the home, Melvin asked the chief to enter before him, according to the outlet. Refusing to go first, the pair then followed Melvin inside and entered the basement, where they were unable to smell any gas.
The pair of firefighters then went back upstairs and found Melvin waiting with a knife, according to WLS. The rear door to the house was sealed off. Melvin allegedly ordered the firefighters back into the basement, but they instead bolted towards the other side of the home, the outlet reported.
47-year-old Melvin Jordan faces numerous charges, including attempted murder, following Tuesday afternoon’s incident at his Auburn Gresham home. https://t.co/vdEoWY8m4I
— WBBM Newsradio (@WBBMNewsradio) September 1, 2023
Melvin allegedly began chasing the firefighters around the house with a knife, prompting the firefighters to use furniture to block him from their path as they radioed for help, WLS reported.
Backup soon arrived and forced their way into the house via a window, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Police arrested Melvin and freed the uninjured firefighters, WLS reported. The suspect was charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated armed kidnapping, aggravated unlawful restraint and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
Melvin was previously convicted on murder and attempted murder charges in 2007, but was freed after authorities vacated his conviction, according to court records reviewed by the Sun-Times. (RELATED: Retired Firefighter Fatally Shoots Alleged Chicago Robber)
Authorities believe the initial garage fire was set intentionally, WLS reported, citing the Office of Fire Investigations.