Suspect in murder of CPD Officer Vásquez Lasso to remain in jail without bond
CHICAGO (CBS) -- "You were caught red-handed," a Cook County Criminal Court judge told the teenage suspect accused of shooting and killing Chicago Police Officer Andrés Mauricio Vásquez Lasso.
The judge Wednesday that ruled 18-year-old Steven Montano will remain in jail.
As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported, Montano appeared in court via Zoom for a brand-new bond hearing Wednesday – a day after being moved out of the hospital and to Cook County Jail.
In an updated mug shot, Montano's left cheek is swollen up – as he recovers from a bullet wound on his face.
Montano has been hospitalized since his initial bond hearing earlier this month – at which he was also denied bond.
In court, Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Anne McCord told the judge Montano "stood up, refused to comply with commands, and tried to walk away from police" the day of he is accused of killing the officer earlier this month.
Prosecutors alleged in an earlier proffer that on Wednesday, March 1, Montano and a 37-year-old woman with whom he was in a dating relationship and living with in the 5200 block of South Spaulding Avenue in the Gage Park neighborhood, began arguing. During the argument, Montano allegedly "charged with his hands outstretched at his girlfriend who stepped out of the way to avoid being struck," prosecutors said.
Montano then threatened to get his gun, prosecutors said. His girlfriend exited the home through a side door on 53rd Street, called 911 and reported that Montano had a gun. As she spoke to a dispatcher, Montano followed her. He also allegedly grabbed the phone from his girlfriend's hand, hung up on 911 and threw the phone. They continued to argue and went back inside the home, prosecutors said.
The woman told CBS 2 she maintains she did not call 911, nor was she threatened.
It was shortly after that Chicago police arrived. Two officers approached the front door of the residence and "heard noise" in the gangway.
Prosecutors said Montano jumped out of a window of the residence, into the gangway and fled back towards the alley. An officer saw an object in Montano's hands, believing it was a gun.
Montano encountered two neighbors in the alley and asked them if he could hide the gun in the garage the neighbors were standing in. When the neighbors indicated he couldn't, Montano entered the garage they were in and fled into a backyard of a connected residence, prosecutors said. As he made his way through other neighboring yards, the first two officers made their way into the alley, saw Montano and alerted other officers to his location.
As Montano continued to flee north along Spaulding Avenue past Sawyer Elementary school, Vásquez Lasso responded to the scene and saw the suspect, prosecutors said. Vásquez Lasso got out of his squad car, chased Montano through a gate and entered the school yard area of the Sawyer Elementary, prosecutors said.
Vásquez Lasso ordered Montano to stop multiple times, prosecutors said. At one point, Montano looked back over his shoulder at the officer, prosecutors said. He turned toward Vásquez Lasso while racking the slide on his pistol and pointed the gun at him, prosecutors said.
Both Vásquez Lasso and Montano fired at each other, prosecutors said. Montano fired five times and Vásquez Lasso was hit three times in the head, arm, and leg, prosecutors said. Vásquez Lasso fired twice, hitting Montano in the mouth. Prosecutors have not specified who shot first.
Montano's defense attorney, Cook County Assistant Public Defender Julie Koehler, said Wednesday that her client "did not engage the police officers" and ran. She also said he was a mentor and worked with kids at a community center.
But the judge denied bond for Montano, saying he is a danger to that very same community.
"All these things are great. They don't change what happened," said Cook County Criminal Court Judge Ankur Srivastava. "You murdered a Chicago Police officer in cold blood."
We spoke by phone with Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara Jr., who was in the courtroom. Perlman asked Catanzara what he thought of the defense attorney saying Montano did not intend to kill a police officer – and bringing up how Montano was a mentor at a kids' community center.
"It's just more excuses for criminal and bad behavior," Catanzara said. "There's no mystery here. He's on body cam killing Andres.
Prosecutors said the entire incident is captured on Officer Vásquez Lasso's body camera.
Montano faces a first-degree murder charge, on top of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and opening fire near a school building.
He will be back in court April 5.
