Chicago police officer killed • COVID loan fraud bust in suburbs • Vallas, Johnson campaign for top office
CHICAGO - Chicago mourns the loss of Police Officer Andrés Mauricio Vásquez Lasso who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Wednesday; two suburban men were arrested for felony theft and loan fraud tied to COVID-19 relief funds after a federal raid; and Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson are back on the campaign trail after advancing to a runoff election in April.
These are the top stories from FOX 32's Week in Review.
1. Feds raid suburban Chicago home of businessman who ran for state office: A federal raid in the southwest suburbs put two people behind bars Monday. They are facing felony charges of theft and loan fraud tied to COVID relief money. The defendants live in Manhattan, Illinois, but one of the businesses that federal authorities say they used to obtain thousands of dollars in loans is Kee Firearms and Training in New Lenox.
Candlelight vigil held for fallen Chicago Police Officer Andres Mauricio Vasquez Lasso
For 24 hours, residents will walk along 63rd street carrying flags honoring Chicago Police Officer Andres Mauricio Vasquez Lasso along with his brothers and sisters in blue. Nate Rodgers reports. MORE: https://www.fox32chicago.com/tag/organization/cpd
2. Chicago police officer fatally shot on Southwest Side: Chicago police officers rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital Wednesday afternoon after one of their own was fatally shot on the city’s Southwest Side. Officer Andrés Mauricio Vásquez Lasso, 32, was shot and killed as he chased an armed suspect who suddenly turned and fired "at close range" Wednesday afternoon in Gage Park.
'I'll see you at the finish line': Paul Vallas makes Chicago mayoral runoff election
Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson will meet in a runoff to be the next mayor of Chicago after voters on Tuesday denied incumbent Lori Lightfoot a second term, issuing a rebuke to a leader who made history as head of the nation's third-largest city.
3. Chicago mayoral election results: Real-time updates as votes are tallied: The last few votes are being tallied from Tuesday's election. The Chicago Board of Elections has until March 14 finalize the first round of voting. Candidates Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas will face of in the April 4 runoff.
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4. Illinois city named one of the happiest cities in America: An Illinois city has been named one of the happiest cities in America for a second year in a row. According to WalletHub, Aurora is ranked number 19, moving up two spots on the happiness ladder from 21 last year.
George P. Athanasakos, 24 (left), Brandon D. Bratcher, 27 (right)
5. Des Plaines car dealership owners, employee kidnapped, beaten and burned for hours; 2 suspects in custody: Two suburban men are accused of kidnapping, beating, robbing and burning three Des Plaines car dealership employees last month. George P. Athanasakos, 24, of Wood Dale, and Brandon D. Bratcher, 27, of Hanover Park, have each been charged with three counts of aggravated kidnapping and three counts of armed robbery.
6. Doctors warn of stomach bugs spreading across Midwest: A series of stomach bugs have some doctors worried. In fact, health officials say they’re causing a serious public health threat. We understand that a virus causes one of the stomach bugs and bacteria triggers the other. There are two highly contagious infections were looking at: the norovirus and the shigella bacteria.
7. Chicago man, 18, charged with murder in shooting death of Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso: An 18-year-old man has been charged in the shooting death of a Chicago police officer in the city's Gage Park neighborhood. On March 1, 2023, Chicago police were responding to a domestic call of a man chasing a woman with a gun. Steven Montano is the man accused of gunning down Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso around 4:45 p.m., as Montano was being chased by the officer in the 5200 block of South Spaulding Avenue — across the street from Sawyer Elementary School.
8. State Farm reportedly raising rates for Illinois drivers — here's how much: Expect to pay more for your auto insurance. State Farm is reportedly raising rates for Illinois drivers by 6.5 percent. According to a filing with the Illinois Department of Insurance, the hike will add about $58 a year for policy holders.
9. Lightfoot loses re-election bid, this is the date she will leave office: With Mayor Lori Lightfoot not winning re-election, the first Chicago incumbent to lose a second term since 1983, many are wondering what exact day she will leave office. We now have that answer. Lightfoot was sworn-in on May 20, 2019. Her last day leading the city of Chicago will be on May 15, 2023. She will be replaced by either Paul Vallas or Brandon Johnson.
Moses Maldonado and Nicholas Samudio (CPD)
10. 2 Chicago men charged in Douglas Park murder: Two men have been charged in the murder of a 22-year-old man in Chicago's Douglas Park neighborhood. Police say Moses Maldonado, 21, and Nicholas Samudio, 22, both of Chicago, are facing first degree murder charges in the killing of Tomas Villa. Villa was found fatally shot on Sunday around 2:15 a.m. in the 2700 block of West 18th Street. Police say he was discovered between two vehicles on the street.