A person is charged with taking pictures two individuals, killing one, in a case of mistaken id in Pilsen final summer season. Inside seconds of the homicide, Chicago law enforcement officials fatally shot the person’s confederate, 16-year-old Alex Cortez, after the boy turned towards pursuing officers with a gun in his hand, prosecutors stated.
Christopher Ford, 24, was recognized because the second gunman via DNA proof, in depth video footage, and the truth that he dropped his cellphone whereas operating from police, Assistant State’s Legal professional Mike Pekara stated in a detention petition.
In accordance with Pekara, the three victims left a bar within the 1800 block of South Blue Island shortly after 1 a.m. on August 18, 2024, received right into a automobile, and drove away. As they have been leaving, one other darkish sedan pulled onto the block and slowed all the way down to change phrases with a gaggle Ford was with. Ford allegedly reached towards his waistband as that second automobile pulled away.
A few minute later, video confirmed the victims’ automobile driving up the block as they headed house. Mistakenly believing it to be the sedan carrying the individuals who had simply exchanged phrases, Ford and Cortez ran towards the automobile and opened fireplace, unleashing a torrent of 35 rounds, Pekara stated.
The driving force of the victims’ automobile, 29-year-old Stephen Mancilla-Carlos, died from a gunshot wound to the top. A lady within the entrance passenger seat suffered a gunshot wound to her chest whereas one other girl within the again seat was not injured.
Chicago law enforcement officials occurred to be simply across the nook from the taking pictures. They instantly activated their blue lights, rounded the nook, and commenced chasing Ford and Cortez, Pekara stated.
At one level, Cortez “stopped and turned towards the officers whereas holding a firearm in his proper hand,” in response to Pekara. One of many officers shot Cortez, killing him. Investigators decided that the gun Cortez held fired 16 of the 35 photographs.
Ford received away, however police recovered the cellphone he dropped and clothes he discarded close by. They linked the garments to him via DNA exams. Investigators additionally searched the recovered cellphone, which contained photos of Ford’s driver’s license, letters from his financial institution and the IRS addressed to him, and “quite a few photographs of him holding firearms,” in response to Pekara.
After his latest arrest, Ford allegedly admitted to firing on the victims’ automobile, believing it to be the one which had pushed previous him earlier.
Choose Luciano Panici Jr. ordered Ford detained. He’s charged with two counts of homicide, two counts of tried first-degree homicide, aggravated battery by firearm, and three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm.
Courtroom information present Ford was charged with illegally possessing a firearm within the 1200 block of West forty seventh Road in July 2023. Prosecutors dropped the cost in March 2024, about 5 months earlier than the homicide.
Two days after the taking pictures, COPA, the Civilian Workplace of Police Accountability, stated state regulation prohibited it from releasing video and different supplies associated to the police taking pictures of Cortez. The company usually releases video, stories, and different supplies inside 60 days of deadly shootings.
COPA stated it continued to analyze whether or not the officers’ use of power was in keeping with CPD’s insurance policies and coaching. Thus far, the outcomes of that investigation haven’t been launched.
In 2021, after a Chicago police officer fatally shot 13-year-old Adam Toledo, COPA launched a set of proof, together with the body-worn digital camera footage of the taking pictures. Nevertheless, a 2022 court docket ruling now prohibits the company from releasing video of shootings involving juveniles, a COPA spokesperson stated final yr.
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