Prosecutors say a man proudly declared his gang affiliation before opening fire on a CTA bus, injuring two people earlier this year. They also claim that he was on probation for another gun case when he did it.
According to prosecutors, at 11:33 p.m. on April 27, a 40-year-old man boarded a westbound #77 Belmont bus with his girlfriend and sat immediately in front of William Soto, who was 18 years old. The couple communicated with each other but never with Soto.
During the ride, Soto stood up and began talking to the man, who remained seated.
“I’m a man,” Soto told the other man, referring to his membership in the Maniac Latin Disciples, according to authorities.
As the couple started to leave Cicero, Soto allegedly threatened the man, stating he would “have something” for him once they were outside. According to authorities, the man’s girlfriend discovered a revolver in Soto’s pants and dragged her boyfriend away from the rear doors to prevent him from departing.
Standing outside the bus, Soto allegedly grabbed his revolver and fired through the rear doors’ glass, striking the 40-year-old guy in the thighs. Prosecutors believe Soto peeked through the glass, fired again, and then fired a third time as the bus drove away.
A 22-year-old male on the bus who was wearing headphones and not engaged in any conversations received a gunshot wound to the ankle.
The victims were treated and released from nearby hospitals that night.
Chicago police detectives gathered video footage from the CTA, a neighboring business, and household Ring cameras, which purportedly showed the shooting and Soto’s escape from the scene. According to authorities, one video showed Soto sprinting down the street and into his home following the assault.
He faces two counts of attempted murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm into an inhabited car, and unauthorized use of a weapon.
Judge Ankur Srivastava held him because he posed a public safety risk.