CHICAGO – A Chicago man accused of helping a group of people beat and rob a motorist while wearing a neon yellow “peacekeeper” vest in Little Village was given a nine-year prison sentence Monday.
The May 2023 attack came within days of city and state officials touting the use of “peacekeepers” as a tool they deployed over Memorial Day weekend that year to curb violence in the city.
Although surveillance footage showed many men involved in pulling the victim out of a van and physically assaulting the victim near 23rd Place and Washtenaw in Little Village, police arrested only one person: Oscar Montes.
This week, Montes pleaded guilty before Judge Mary Brosnahan to aggravated assault causing great bodily harm. Prosecutors dropped a handful of more serious charges Montes faced, including armed robbery and vehicle invasion.
A Chicago Police surveillance cameraman saw the attack occur and notified police. CWBChicago later secured a copy of that video with the help of the Illinois Attorney General’s office. It showed that a group had pulled a man from a passing vehicle. The 37-year-old driver was pulled from his van by “multiple perpetrators,” including one wearing “a neon ‘peacekeeper’ vest,” according to a CPD report.
As the group pulled the driver out of the van, the vehicle rolled down the street because it was still in gear. A severe beating soon took place on the street corner. At one point, Montes, the “peacekeeper,” reportedly used a phone to punch the victim while others kicked and punched the man. You’ll see the illuminated phone screen go up and down with every wave.
The attackers fled when Chicago police arrived, leaving the victim apparently unconscious in the street. Officials said he suffered a facial fracture, a rib fracture and a left eye injury that caused partial vision loss.
Peter Cunningham, an education official during the Obama administration and a proponent of “peacekeeping” programs, tweeted that Montes had simply “mishandled the stress” of working as a peacekeeper. Cunningham has since deleted his Twitter account.
Here is part of the video released by the city to CWBChicago. Before viewing, keep in mind that it depicts a violent attack.
Montes was on parole at the time of the attack for a 2012 case in which he pleaded guilty to aggravated discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle. Prosecutors said these charges stemmed from an incident involving a rival gang member of Montes in Little Village. Court records show Montes was initially charged with attempted murder in the 2012 case, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge.
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