Justice officers say that a man proudly explained his bender relationship before he opened fire on a CTA bus and wounded two passengers earlier this year. They also say he was on trial for another weapon store when he did it.
At about 11:33 pm on April 27, a 40-year-old man stepped on board a Westbound #77 Belmont bus with his girlfriend and was right for the 18-year-old William Soto, said prosecutors. The couple spoke with each other, but never spoke with Soto.
During the ride, Soto got up and started talking to the man who stayed.
“I am a man,” Soto told the other man, referring to his connection with the Maniac Latin disciples, according to public prosecutors.
While the couple prepared to leave Cicero, Soto would have threatened the man and said he “would have something for him” as soon as they were outside. The man’s girlfriend saw a gun in the pants of Soto and pulled her boyfriend away from the back doors to prevent him from leaving, said prosecutors.
Soto stood outside the bus and reportedly pulled the gun and shot through the glass of the back doors and hit the 40-year-old man in the thigh. Public prosecutors claim that Soto looked through the window, shot again and fired a third shot when the bus withdrew.
A 22-year-old man in the bus who had worn headphones and was not involved in conversations suffered a shot wound on his ankle.
Both victims were treated that night and released from local hospitals.
Chicago Police Detectives collected video evidence of the CTA, a nearby company and residential ring cameras, who reportedly recorded the shooting and the flight of Soto from the scene. One clip showed Soto who ran through the street and entered his house after the incident, said prosecutors.
He is accused of two counts of attempted murder, worsened discharge from a firearm to an occupied vehicle and illegal use of a weapon.
Judge Ankur Srivastava held him as a risk of public safety.
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