A Chicago man enraged over site visitors tickets allegedly stalked Mayor Lori Lightfoot and fired a gun a number of occasions close to her dwelling, authorities mentioned.
Joseph Igartua, 37, is dealing with felony counts of stalking and reckless discharge of a firearm after Prepare dinner County prosecutors declare he drove his black Nissan truck previous Lightfoot’s dwelling 15 occasions between mid-January and Monday, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Prosecutor James Murphy informed a choose Thursday Igartua drove to Lightfoot’s dwelling Saturday whereas armed with a loaded handgun and a letter he penned to the mayor.
Two Chicago cops, nonetheless, stopped Igartua, who was on the mayor’s dwelling to voice his rage over his site visitors citations. The officers took the gun after which returned it to Igartua after breaking it down as a result of he has a sound hid carry license, Murphy mentioned.
A day later, Igartua returned to Lightfoot’s residence, the place he drove down an alleyway and parked by her storage beford he was noticed by a police sergeant, the prosecutor mentioned.
Igartua drove previous Lightfoot’s dwelling and dropped papers on the street that included a signed letter to the mayor, in addition to site visitors tickets issued to him and images of his Nissan truck, authorities mentioned.
Igartua then returned to Lightfoot’s dwelling on Monday. The mayor was alerted to the incidents later that afternoon, leaving her “alarmed and distraught,” Murphy mentioned through the suspect’s bond listening to Thursday.
Cops later noticed Igartua again close to Lightfoot’s dwelling Wednesday, Murphy mentioned. He was detained by cops at a fuel station after 5 gunshots had been heard close by.
Ballistic assessments confirmed 9mm shell casings picked up by cops close to the scene matched Igartua’s gun, Murphy mentioned.
A choose ordered Igartua, who lately grew to become unemployed, to be held with out bond Thursday. He was additionally ordered to show over his firearms, the Tribune reported.
Lightfoot, who was at her dwelling along with her spouse and daughter when Igartua allegedly went there Saturday, mentioned her safety element has since been ramped up.
“I don’t want my baby being afraid in her home,” Lightfoot informed WLS-TV. “It’s unhealthy sufficient what my spouse and I've been enduring today.”
Lightfoot, who launched an announcement calling for “collective humanity” after Igartua’s arrest, mentioned she was frightened by her alleged stalker.
“Anyone coming to my home with a loaded weapon? That's scary,” she informed WLS-TV. “I’m not gonna sugar coat that. It’s been terrifying.”
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