LOWELL, IN – An MS-13 gang affiliate is facing severe charges after allegedly attacking a young girl with a butcher knife at a local park during Labor Day weekend. The suspect, identified as 26-year-old Dimas Gabriel Yanes, has been accused of attempted murder, battery, and intimidation, according to court documents.

The harrowing incident took place at the baseball fields on Morse Street in Lowell, Indiana, approximately 60 miles southeast of Chicago. On Saturday afternoon, 13-year-old Sophia, whose last name is being withheld, was watching her brother play baseball when the attack occurred.

Witnesses described the brutal attack. A coach, Matthew Ramian, recounted seeing Yanes approach the girl out of nowhere, pushing her down and producing a large knife. “All he did was jump on this girl, and then he started to push her down under the bleachers,” Ramian said. The assailant brandished a knife estimated to be between 16 and 20 inches long and managed to inflict several wounds before fleeing the scene, leaving blood splattered on the bleachers.

A probable cause affidavit revealed that Yanes allegedly hovered over the girl with the knife, attempting to stab her in the chest. The brave teenager managed to block the blow with her hand, sustaining injuries that required hospital treatment.

Following the assault, the suspect ran into nearby woods, chased by roughly 15 spectators. Law enforcement launched an extensive search that lasted into the following day. Yanes was captured on Sunday afternoon when deputies spotted him running through a cornfield.

Authorities recovered the knife used in the attack. It was noted that Yanes had altered his appearance by cutting his hair in an attempt to evade capture, resulting in an incomplete, patchy look.

In a startling twist, Yanes reportedly told investigators that he found the knife in the woods and claimed that he was coerced into the attack by someone following him, according to an affidavit.

The girl has since been treated for her hand injuries and subsequently released from the hospital.

Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. disclosed on social media that Yanes is a documented member of the MS-13 gang and is considered a significant threat to public safety. The sheriff also revealed that Yanes had previously been deported to Honduras in 2018 but re-entered the United States illegally. The suspect has a documented criminal record involving battery, trespassing, intoxication, and attempted burglary across multiple states, including New York, Illinois, Georgia, and Ohio.

Yanes is currently held at the Lake County Jail with bail set at $15,000 cash or $150,000 surety.