A Chicago cardiologist was violently assaulted inside a Northwestern University hospital elevator by a man with a long history of arrests in the area, according to court records.
The 42-year-old doctor had just entered the elevator when she was allegedly followed by Sean Popps. Once inside, Popps is accused of repeatedly punching her in the head, forcing her backward as she attempted to shield her face with her hands.
Chicago police say Popps has been arrested roughly a dozen times this year alone in the vicinity of the Northwestern campus. Records show he was arrested seven times in 2024, with an additional six arrests between 2020 and 2023.
According to CWB Chicago, the victim suffered multiple bruises, abrasions, and hematomas to her face, head, arm, and hand. Authorities confirmed she had no prior interaction with Popps and that the attack was completely unprovoked.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson: “We can not incarcerate our way out of vioIence… it’s racist…”
— America (@america) November 25, 2025
A Northwestern security officer immediately identified Popps from surveillance footage, noting “approximately 30 or more prior incidents” in which Popps had to be removed from the hospital. Another university officer reported dealing with Popps “approximately twice a day over the last 19 months,” according to a detention petition.
At the time of the assault, Popps was already on pretrial release for allegedly trespassing at a Streeterville residential building in October and attempting to flee police custody afterward.
Critics argue that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson appears more focused on protecting repeat offenders than safeguarding law-abiding citizens. The Gateway Pundit previously reported on Johnson’s remarks suggesting that incarceration for violent criminals is racist and immoral.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Johnson emphasized that he believes incarceration is not the solution to violent crime.
“We cannot incarcerate our way out of violence,” Johnson said. “We’ve tried that and ended up with the largest prison population in the world without solving crime or violence.”
He continued, “This country’s addiction to jails and incarceration is something we must move beyond. It is racist. It is immoral. It is unholy, and it is not how we reduce violence.”