A 36-year-old man is behind bars after prosecutors stated he randomly shot one other man on the Far South Facet this spring, solely to be caught when the sufferer just lately noticed him posting flyers for a lacking canine.
Sergio Martinez is charged with aggravated battery by discharging a firearm in reference to the April 21 assault within the 10800 block of South Burley Avenue.
In a detention petition, prosecutors stated the 36-year-old sufferer was driving dwelling from work, however he realized he wouldn’t get there in time to play within the event. So, he parked, stayed inside his car, and took part on his cellphone.
About 6:30 p.m., Martinez allegedly walked previous with an unleashed German Shepherd. The sufferer initially thought nothing of it, assuming Martinez lived close by as a result of he was sporting Crocs and had a canine off its leash, the detention submitting stated. However moments later, he noticed Martinez photographing his license plate after which the motive force’s facet of his SUV.
The person acquired out to confront Martinez.
That’s when Martinez allegedly reached into his hoodie, produced a handgun, pointed it on the man’s chest, racked the slide, then aimed it on the man’s chest once more earlier than reducing it and capturing him within the higher left thigh. The sufferer managed to climb again into his SUV, drive off, and name 911.
Police realized from neighbors that Martinez lived close by and owned a German Shepherd, based on a court docket submitting. Detectives additionally reviewed archived body-camera footage of Martinez recorded in 2022 and 2023. They decided he matched the outline of the gunman offered by the sufferer.
Every week later, the sufferer didn’t determine Martinez in a photograph lineup, telling detectives he didn’t wish to threat choosing the improper particular person. However, of the six images investigators confirmed him, he stated that #6 — Martinez — was the one one who resembled the shooter, based on the detention submitting.
The case broke open a few weeks in the past when the sufferer was engaged on a job within the neighborhood the place he had been shot. He noticed Martinez posting flyers for a lacking German Shepherd and instantly known as 911.
Officers detained Martinez and he was initially cooperative with police. He even gave detectives the password to his cellphone, based on the detention submitting. His cooperation ended and he demanded an lawyer after the detectives discovered an image on his cellphone of the sufferer’s license plate time-stamped at 6:30 p.m. on April 21, the submitting stated.
Choose Shauna Boliker granted the detention petition, calling the episode “a random act of mindless violence.”
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