Trial underway for Steven Montano, charged with murder of CPD Officer Andrés Mauricio Vásquez Lasso
The trial began Tuesday for the man accused of killing Chicago Police Officer Andrés Mauricio Vásquez Lasso while he was responding to a domestic violence call two years ago.
Steven Montano, 21, is charged with multiple counts of murder and other felonies, accused of fatally shooting Vásquez Lasso during a chase in Gage Park on March 1, 2023.
Montano sat in court Tuesday wearing a blue button-down shirt and tie. At times he looked and smiled at a row of supporters.
Vásquez Lasso's family and fellow officers packed the remainder of the courtroom as both prosecutors and the defense took the jury back to the day he was killed.
With 12 jurors and four alternates sworn in, the day began with opening statements, a chance for both sides to outline their arguments for the jury.
Describing him as someone who loved his family and his job as a police officer in the 8th District, prosecutors said Vásquez Lasso's life was "violently stolen" by "the murderer that sits just 20 feet in front of you – pointing to Montano – and that "blood and life poured from him" when Montano shot him five times.
Defense attorneys admitted this case "is an extremely tragic situation," but said "Steven is also reeling from it."
"Steven had a very unfortunate reaction to this situation," defense attorneys said, claiming, "This is not first-degree murder."
They painted a portrait of an 18-year-old man who had a troubled youth, dropped out of high school, and who at the time of the shooting was dating a 37-year-old woman who "had control" over him. They said Montano fled the scene of the domestic call because he'd wanted to "deescalate" it, and that he and Vásquez Lasso raised their guns at the same time.
Montano's girlfriend, Lineda Pirea, also took the stand, testifying she was living with Montano and her seven children at the time. She said she did not know Montano was only 18, and contrary to what she told CBS News Chicago at the time of the shooting, testified that she in fact did call 911 and said he'd threatened her.
Prosecutors played a recording of that 911 call, in which she said, "he has a gun and he's chasing me right now."
The call cut out after she said Montano threw her phone from her hand just before he ran and the shooting happened.
Vásquez Lasso's widow took the stand as well, teary eyed as she recalled getting the phone call that her husband was shot, and remembered seeing him for a final time at the hospital.
The defense has said Montano will take the stand in his own defense, because they said he is the only one who knows not just what happened on the day of the shooting, but why it happened.
The trial is expected to last one week.