The city of Rockford, Illinois, is in mourning after a tragic stabbing spree claimed the lives of four individuals and left seven others wounded on Wednesday afternoon.
The Rockford Police Department responded to a medical emergency call around 1:14 p.m., initiating a multi-scene investigation that revealed multiple victims.
The violence unfolded across various locations in the northern Illinois city, situated approximately 94 miles from Chicago.
Police Chief Carla Redd addressed the media, expressing condolences to the families of the victims and revealing that a 22-year-old male suspect had been swiftly apprehended for questioning.
“This is a pretty painstaking event,” Chief Redd expressed. “My heart goes out to the families right now who are suffering a loss.”
Andy Ngo reported that the hispanic male suspect, Christian Soto, was booked as “white.”
Why would they do that? Soto is a prominent hispanic last name and clearly does not appear to be “white” from the photos.
A 22-year-old Latino man (booked as "white") is the suspect in the March 27 Rockford, Ill. mass stabbing attack where four people, including a teen, were killed. Five others were hospitalized for serious injuries. https://t.co/ECM3e4GyZ6 pic.twitter.com/gnw489x9u0
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) March 28, 2024
So this is the stabber.
— Hbomb’s Busted Filter ✝️❤️🇺🇸 (@heather_wynalda) March 28, 2024
Christian Soto. Prominent Latino name. It would appear from the mug shots it’s not his first rodeo.
I’ll just leave this here.
Prayers for the victims.
In a totally unrelated comment:
Close the borders. Drugs are bad.https://t.co/kcXxwKfKv0 pic.twitter.com/7HNgAHacR8
According to USA Today, the victims, whose identities have not been revealed, include a 15-year-old girl, a 63-year-old woman, a 49-year-old man, and another 22-year-old man.
Rockford Fire Department District Chief Will Pederson confirmed that three victims died from their injuries at the scene, while a fourth victim passed away after being transported to a local hospital.
According to CNN, the Rockford police stated that one of the injured remains in critical condition, while several others have been stabilized. Additionally, two more victims, acknowledged by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, received medical treatment for their injuries.
From CNN:
Police said not all of the victims were stabbed, nor did they have any gunshot wounds, but did not indicate how the other victims died or were injured. One of the deceased victims was a mailman, according to the sheriff.
“This is a very active and multi-level, multi-agency investigation and has an extensive amount of moving parts,” the Wednesday evening news release said. “As with any investigation, further details and charges may come at a later date.”
Police urged residents to look at their cameras and doorbells for any video footage related to the incidents, and to submit any tips to police or anonymously through the Rockford Area Crime Stoppers.
Speaking at the news conference, Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said he was “totally shaken by this act of violence and the impact that it’s having now on multiple families’ lives.”
There will be counselors on-site at Flinn Middle School on Thursday and Friday to help those individuals and families that have been impacted, he said.
“It’s hard to grasp how this could happen and how emotional and raw the community is tonight,” the mayor said in a Facebook post. “As a dad, a son, a husband, the Mayor and a Rockford supporter, my heart is breaking for those who have lost their lives, their families and our community.”
Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana revealed that the suspect was apprehended following a report of a home invasion. Providing further details, Sheriff Caruana recounted how a female victim managed to escape from the attacker despite sustaining injuries. A bystander who came to her aid was also injured but is reported to be in good condition.
Watch a video report below:
