Chicago man on parole fatally shot three people, wounded another after being kicked out of party: police

CHICAGO - A convicted felon who was on parole has been charged in a fatal shooting that occurred during a birthday party at a Portage Park bar over the weekend.

Samuel Parsons-Salas, 32, of Chicago, faces three felony counts of first-degree murder, one felony count of attempted first-degree murder and one felony count of kidnapping.

According to Chicago Police Supt. David Brown, Parsons-Salas was on parole after being released in September for a home invasion. 

He was taken into custody Monday and was officially charged Tuesday in the fatal shooting.

According to police, the shooting occurred around 2:30 a.m. Sunday during a birthday party for the niece of the bar's owner.

Parsons-Salas was allegedly invited to the birthday party by a third party. He was then told at one point in the night to leave the party.

Video surveillance shows Parsons-Salas going to a vehicle to retrieve what appears to be a firearm, police said.

A fight ensued outside the bar, and Parsons-Salas began shooting the victims.

The niece was seriously wounded and her father, Ricky Vera, 50, was killed. Two of the woman’s friends, Mario Pozuelos, 26, and Mercedes Tavares, 24, also died.

Vera and Pozuelos were shot in the head and body and pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Tavares was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and pronounced dead.

A law enforcement source said Parsons-Salas allegedly stood over some of the victims and kept firing. He then sped off in a dark-colored SUV.

Police said a woman was in the vehicle that Parsons-Salas fled in and was held against her will, which resulted in him being charged with kidnapping.

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The niece, 25, was taken to Mount Sinai in critical condition with a gunshot wound to her head.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.