Attempted Murder Charges Against Man Wielding a Knife, Invading Tinley Park Home

Updated at 2:45 p.m. on Jan. 6 to include Swiercz's occupation. 

A Tinley Park woman was attacked in her home in the wee hours of Saturday morning by a man wielding a knife. Police arrested a man matching the description of the attacker in the condominium parking lot.  

Gary M. Swiercz, a 49-year-old Chicago Ridge deputy fire chief, was taken into custody and charged with attempted murder, home invasion, aggravated unlawful restraint, aggravated attempted criminal sexual assault and residential burglary, police said.

According to the Tinley Park police report, the woman said a man entered her condominium home about 2:35 a., forced her to the floor and beat her. The two struggled and the man fled the scene.

She was treated at the scene for minor injuries, police said.

Swiercz is being held at Cook County jail. A bond hearing is pending.

Police report information is provided by the Tinley Park Police Department and other law enforcement agencies. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.