a day ago
Jury picked for trial of man charged with shooting, killing Chicago police Officer Andrés Mauricio Vásquez Lasso
A jury was impaneled Monday for the trial of the man accused in the murder of Chicago police Officer Andrés Mauricio Vásquez Lasso.
Officer Vásquez Lasso was shot and killed on the job back in March 2023. The now-21-year-old defendant, Steven Montano, was 18 at the time of the shooting.
On March 1, 2023, Vásquez Lasso officer was responding to a call about a domestic incident near Montano's home in the Southwest Side's Gage Park neighborhood. Prosecutors from the Cook County State's Attorney's office said Montano's 37-year-old girlfriend called 911 after he threatened her with a gun.
Montano jumped out of a window, into the gangway, and ran back toward the alley to get away from responding officers, according to prosecutors.
An officer saw an object in Montano's hands, believing it was a gun.
Montano kept running through neighboring yards and eventually past Sidney Sawyer Elementary School, at 5247 S. Spaulding Ave. That was where Officer Vásquez Lasso got out of his squad car and chased Montano through a gate — entering the schoolyard area, prosecutors said.
Officer Vásquez Lasso ordered Montano to stop multiple times, prosecutors said. Eventually, Montano turned toward Vásquez Lasso while racking the slide on his pistol and pointed the gun at him, according to prosecutors.
Both fired their guns, prosecutors said. Vásquez Lasso was shot in the head, arm, and leg and killed.
Montano was shot in the mouth and fully recovered. He faces a first-degree murder charge, as well as charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and opening fire near a school building.
The woman involved maintains she did not call 911 and says she was not threatened.
During voir dire for jury selection on Monday, potential jurors were questioned about the type of TV they watch, their relationship and family dynamics, and whether they have family members in law enforcement.
The judge told jurors to expect for this case to take about a week. They will be Tuesday morning for opening statements.
