Over the weekend, Chicago police announced charges in a Northwest Side mass shooting that killed three and badly injured a fourth.
The Vera Lounge, 3235 N. Central Ave., off School Street in Portage Park, was shot at 2:26 a.m. Sunday. Police said a guy fired shots and left in a dark-colored SUV after an altercation in the pub evolved into a street battle.
CPD Supt. David Brown said Samuel Parsons-Salas, 32, of Chicago, was arrested on Monday and charged with three first-degree murders, one attempted murder, and one abduction.
Security Footage reveals Vera Lounge Fight
We halted the video before the three victims were shot and murdered at close range on television. The shooter returned to kill three more.
Ricky Vera, 50, whose brother owned the pub, was shot and killed. Mariah Vera, 25, his daughter, was in a serious condition at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center after being shot in the head.
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Mario Pozuelos and Mercedes Tavares, two of Maria’s companions, were rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital with several gunshot wounds. Both died.
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Brown claimed Parsons-Salas was asked to leave the party inside. Before the incident, security footage showed Parsons-Salas grabbing a pistol from a vehicle.
Brown claimed Parsons-Salas shot the victims during the altercation and fled in another automobile.
Brown called it a tragedy. “Never let it kill.”
Brown just called the murders “heartless.” Brown replied, “The rest is incomprehensible.”
“Throw the key,” ordered Supt. Brown. “Remove this individual.” “Disallow electronic monitoring.”
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CPD Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan revealed that Parsons-Salas escaped with another person after the shootings. Deenihan stated Salas “kept her against her will” and kidnapped her.
In 2009, Parsons-Salas broke into a house in Albany Park while armed and killed two people. In September, he was given his freedom.
Indicted in 2014
Parsons-Salas assaulted a prison guard the next year.
After a 2009 plea bargain, Parsons-Salas pleaded guilty to two offences in 2018. Four years and eight months of his eight-year sentence were credited.
“It makes it a little bit easier for the family that this intruder was arrested,” said Ricardo Douglas, a cousin of Pozuelos, who was murdered in the shooting.
Douglas returned Tuesday, steps from the bar. He left flowers and a prayer for his 26-year-old cousin, as well as flowers and a prayer for Tavares, a mother of three, Ricky, and Mariah Vera.
“Nobody deserves this. Any crisis can be resolved by the Douglas family. my heart’s misery. “I came to help him when a family member died.”
The Vera family has a GoFundMe for burial and hospital costs.
Wednesday is bond court for Parsons-Salas.
