A judge ordered an 18-year-old charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a Chicago police officer in the city's Gage Park neighborhood held without bail Friday.
Steven Montano, 18, of the 2500 block of South Lawndale Avenue, faces a first-degree murder charge, in addition to felony charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon with no FOID card and aggravated discharge of a firearm near a school building, authorities said Thursday.
He also faces two misdemeanor charges, for simple assault and interfering with the reporting of domestic violence respectively, officials said.
The 18-year-old was taken into custody moments after the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Chicago police officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso.
At the same time as Montano's bond hearing, a procession was escorting the fallen officer's body to a funeral home in Oak Lawn.
Montano remains in critical condition at an area hospital, with a bullet wound to the head.
According to authorities, officers in the Eighth District responded at 4:43 p.m. Wednesday to domestic-related call of a person with a gun in the 5200 block of South Spaulding Avenue in the city's Gage Park neighborhood.
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Chicago Police Supt. David Brown later said the caller had stated that a man was chasing a female down the street with a gun.
When officers arrived, one group went to the front door of a residence, but a second squad car encountered the suspect on foot, police said.
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As officers got out of the squad car, the man, who was armed, began running, authorities say.
Prosecutors said Vasquez-Lasso gave "multiple verbal commands" to Montano to stop running, but as the officer approached him, Montano "looked over his shoulder" and "immediately turned toward [Vasquez-Lasso] while racking the slide on his pistol."
At that point, both the officer and the suspect fired their guns.
"At close range, shots were exchanged," Brown said. According to authorities, the officer was struck multiple times.
Police said Vasquez-Lasso and Montano exchanged gunfire following a brief pursuit, with Vasquez-Lasso being struck to the head and leg several times.
The wounded officer managed to return fire, striking Montano in the head.
According to Brown, the officer was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
"We are heartbroken," Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said during a press conference Wednesday. "Policing is a big family. People know at some point they may be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice. But you never wish or hope that it actually happens. And tonight, this tragedy did."
Prosecutors said in court Friday that Montano was uncooperative after the shooting and was Tased before being taken into custody.
The shooting took place near a school playground, forcing students to take shelter.
"At the time of the shooting, there were civilians, including multiple children, on the playground who took cover under a slide," the proffer from bond court stated.
According to officials, an investigation is ongoing, and body camera footage from the responding officers is currently being reviewed.
"The investigation is ongoing," Brown said, noting that body camera footage, ballistic evidence and other video is currently being reviewed. Additionally, the use of force in the incident is being investigated by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, Brown said.
Brown on Wednesday said that Eighth District officer Vasquez-Lasso was married, and had recently celebrated five years with the department.
Brown added that the officer has family in Colombia and other parts of the world, and that the department had been working to notify them about what occurred.
"We always ask all of you please respect this family," Brown said Wednesday. "So we'll have more about this offer later, but we're going to go with the family's pace in their comfort level with sharing more about this officer."
“This is a family of public servants, and as you can imagine, they are taking this tragedy very hard," Brown added.
"He died while protecting Chicago and it's people," the police department said in a statement Thursday. "We will never forget his selflessness and dedication as we continue to wrap our arms around his family and loved ones. Together, we mourn the loss of our hero."
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Montano, of the city's Little Village neighborhood, was previously charged with a misdemeanor in connection with a July 2022 incident in which he fled on foot from a vehicle that was stopped by Chicago police, officials have confirmed.
Thursday, the office of Kim Foxx, the Cook County State's Attorney, said that the suspect was released without bond because of his lack of criminal history.
“The defendant, who had no prior record, was given an I-bond after being charged,” the office said. “The defendant, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was not charged with a felony because the evidence does not support a charge of gun possession.”
Foxx’s office said that the suspect was charged with a misdemeanor for running from the vehicle. The driver was charged with felony counts of illegal gun possession.
Vasquez-Lasso is the first officer to be killed by gunfire in the line of duty since Officer Ella French was shot and killed Aug. 7, 2021 during a traffic stop in the West Englewood neighborhood.
A total of 557 police officers have died in the line of duty while serving in the city of Chicago.
