By Alysa Guffey
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO — A Chicago man charged for the attempted murder of an Illinois State Police trooper and identified by state police as a person of interest in a Chicago homicide will remain in custody until his trial, authorities said Tuesday.
On Thursday, attempted murder charges were filed against Cristobal Santana, 37, in Sangamon County after state trooper Dakotah Chapman-Green was shot during a traffic stop on Oct. 24. He also faces counts of aggravated battery to a police officer and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, authorities said. A judge granted a petition from prosecutors to keep Santana jailed until his trial, authorities said.
The state trooper had been conducting a traffic stop when at some point during the conversation, Santana exited the vehicle and fired at least 10 shots, Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly told reporters Tuesday. He did not specify the probable cause of the traffic stop.
At least two shots hit Chapman-Green, who tried to take cover but was “repeatedly struck him in the head and face with the gun,” Kelly said.
Chapman-Green remained hospitalized Tuesday after suffering facial fractures, a skull fracture and a brain bleed in addition to the gunfire wounds, Kelly said.
“He’s still in the hospital and continues to improve each day,” Kelly said.
Kelly did not specify if Santana was still hospitalized but said the suspect is “in custody and receiving appropriate medical care.” Kelly referred to Chicago police when asked about the status of the homicide where Santana is a person of interest.
Days before the downstate shooting, Adrianna Lopez, 41, was found fatally shot outside her home in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood. Family members of the slain Chicago Public Schools special education and pre-K teacher say Santana was Lopez’s former boyfriend and had previously been violent toward her.
Chicago police have not named a suspect in her killing, and the department told the Tribune on Tuesday that no one was in custody in connection to the crime. The initial news release by state police said a state trooper was shot in the leg while interacting with Santana, calling the man a suspect in a Chicago killing without giving more detail on that crime.
According to Chicago police, a “known man” in a dark SUV approached and shot Lopez 10 times in the chest on the sidewalk outside her home in the 5400 block of South Narragansett Avenue.
Family members told the Tribune last week they had seen video showing someone shooting and killing Lopez in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood on Oct. 22.
Lopez had filed for an order of protection against Santana a month ago, Lopez’s cousin Martiza Torres said. A Cook County sheriff’s office spokesperson could not confirm whether Lopez had been granted an order of protection, citing a law requiring such orders to be sealed until they are served.
At a vigil honoring Lopez on Friday night, dozens of friends, colleagues and family members in pink, her favorite color, gathered for prayers in English and Spanish, including a reading of Psalm 23, on the sidewalk outside her home. They piled flowers and candles on her front steps.
The Nathan Davis Elementary School teachers who attended the vigil remembered their colleague as brave, kind and nurturing.
“She wanted everyone to be kind to each other, but to stick up for yourself,” Judin Bonilla said.
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