WICHITA, KS – A holiday morning in a quiet Wichita neighborhood became a scene of chaos after a local man allegedly launched a violent hammer attack during what authorities say was a deliberate attempt to kill.

Police say Jason Eastburn, 43, knocked on the door of a home along the 7200 block of 24th Street just after 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 24. As a 22-year-old woman cradling her 1-month-old baby answered the door, Eastburn reportedly attacked, striking her multiple times in the head with a hammer.

According to an arrest affidavit released Monday, the woman sustained a serious head wound that required four staples at the hospital. Her quick-thinking family, including a 76-year-old grandmother, intervened during the assault, allowing her and her infant to flee to safety inside another room.

Additional residents tackled Eastburn and wrestled the hammer from him. He managed to escape and fled across the street to a park, where officers located and arrested him minutes later. Eastburn had a visible forehead injury at the time of his arrest.

Authorities reported that while en route to the hospital, the suspect allegedly told a paramedic he had “killed a woman over there,” suggesting his intent to do harm. After being read his rights, Eastburn reportedly confessed his motives to investigators. He said he had observed the home previously, drawn by the number of cars in the driveway.

According to the affidavit, Eastburn told officers that he specifically wanted to target a house with multiple people and believed this residence fit his criteria. He also remarked that the hammer he used held sentimental value, having belonged to his late father. Eastburn described feelings of isolation, admitting his loneliness “triggers” him, and suggesting an unaddressed mental illness as a possible factor.

Authorities say Eastburn expressed remorse and acknowledged that he had long battled homicidal thoughts arising from childhood trauma and a desire to end what he saw as a cycle of generational violence. He told officers he was ashamed of his actions and felt relieved to be in custody, where he couldn’t harm anyone else.

None of the residents inside the home, including the baby and grandmother, suffered life-threatening injuries. Eastburn has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery, and aggravated endangering of a child. He remains in the Sedgwick County Jail without bond.

Investigators are continuing to gather details about the circumstances leading up to the attack. Authorities have not released information regarding any prior connection between Eastburn and the victims.