A Cook dinner County decide on Tuesday sentenced the person who murdered on-duty Chicago Police Officer Andrés Vásquez Lasso to life in jail, however a legislation handed in 2023 will enable him to hunt launch after serving 40 years as a result of he was underneath 21 when he dedicated the crime.
Choose John Lyke ordered Steven Montano, now 21, to serve life on three homicide counts, a concurrent 45-year time period on three further homicide counts, a concurrent 20-year time period on two extra homicide counts, and a consecutive one-year sentence for illegal possession of a weapon, in line with court docket data. A jury convicted Montano on July 21.
Prosecutors stated Montano was 18 when he fatally shot the 32-year-old officer on March 1, 2023, moments after fleeing a home disturbance name within the 5200 block of South Spaulding.
Montano allegedly argued together with his 37-year-old girlfriend that afternoon, charged at her, and threatened to get a gun. The lady slipped out a aspect door and referred to as 911, telling dispatchers Montano had a firearm earlier than he grabbed her cellphone in the course of the name, hung up, and threw it to the bottom.
As responding officers approached the house, Montano jumped out a window and ran. He dropped a gun and ammunition journal alongside the best way however picked the weapon again up, loaded it, and requested neighbors if he may disguise it within the storage the place they have been standing, prosecutors stated. They refused. Montano ran by the storage and jumped a fence.
Vásquez Lasso and his accomplice arrived as a backup unit in full uniform and a marked squad automobile. Seeing Montano, Vásquez Lasso bailed out of the squad automobile and chased him into the playground of Sawyer Elementary College, repeatedly ordering him to cease.
As an alternative, Montano regarded over his shoulder and turned whereas racking the slide on his pistol. He raised the weapon towards Vásquez Lasso and each males fired.
Montano squeezed off 5 photographs, putting Vásquez Lasso within the head, arm, and leg. The officer fired twice, hitting Montano within the mouth.
Kids taking part in within the schoolyard hid underneath playground gear because the photographs have been fired.
Vásquez Lasso collapsed instantly. Montano stumbled to a close-by parking zone and fell together with his gun beside him. Vásquez Lasso’s accomplice rushed from the squad automobile and confronted Montano, who stood up regardless of the gunshot wound to his face, refused instructions, and tried to stroll away. Officers tazed him and positioned him in handcuffs.
Fellow officers loaded Vásquez Lasso right into a squad automobile after which transferred him to an ambulance. He died at Mt. Sinai Hospital.
In 2023, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a legislation making anybody sentenced to life in jail for a homicide dedicated after they have been underneath 21 eligible for launch after serving 40 years.
An effort by State Rep. Theresa Mah of Chicago to broaden the 40-year resentencing alternative retroactive for anybody serving life for murders dedicated earlier than they turned 21 fell two votes brief of passing the Home earlier this 12 months.
