Palos Park man, 34, charged for attempted murder in stabbing attack against parents

Matthew Sokolowski, 34, of Palos Park is charged with two counts of attempted murder following a Nov. 24 attack against two people, described in court documents as his adoptive parents.

The Cook County sheriff’s police responded to reports of a stabbing at about 9 a.m. Nov. 24 to the 12000 block of South Newport Drive in unincorporated Palos Township.

The victims were an elderly woman with wounds to her face and an elderly man with multiple stab wounds, police said. Both were taken to a hospital for treatment.

In a petition seeking detention of Sokolowski, prosecutors said Sokolowski punched his mother in the face, shattering the mug of coffee she was drinking from, and proceeded to batter her with another coffee cup. When the other victim, his father, attempted to intervene, Sokolowski stabbed him multiple times with a kitchen knife until the knife snapped into two pieces, the document said.

Sokolowski’s mother suffered a fractured skull, a concussion and lacerations to her face and head, while his father was stabbed 11 times in the neck and 4 times in the shoulder, the document said.

Sokolowski called 911 and waited with his parents until first responders arrived, according to the court filing. After being taken into custody, Sokolowski was also taken to Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital for treatment of a hand injury.

Cook County Judge William Fahy ordered Sokolowski be held at the county jail while the case is pending. His next court hearing is Dec. 19.

Sokolowski has a prior felony conviction for aggravated domestic battery resulting from a 2009 incident when he physically assaulted his then-girlfriend during an argument, according to court records. He was sentenced to 30 months of probation.

elewis@chicagotribune.com

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