PO Andres Vasquez-Lasso
Officer: Chicago Police Department, Police Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso
Date: 3/1/2023 Location: Chicago, IL FACTORS (1,2,13,15,18,19,21)
Perpetrator(s) Involved: Steven Montano
Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, Montano was arrested for felony aggravated battery with a firearm on July 28, 2022 but Cook County prosecutors charged him with misdemeanor obstructing/resisting a police officer instead, which they eventually dropped in November. / Yes, Montano was involved in a domestic violence incident where he was menacing his girlfriend with a gun.
Mental Illness: None stated.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown. / None stated.
Race/Sex/Age: Latino/Male/18
What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At approximately 4:45 p.m. on March 1, 2023, Chicago police officers responded to a 911 call of a domestic violence incident involving “a man with a gun chasing a woman.” Upon arriving at the scene, officers observed that man, Steven Montano running from the rear of the house toward the alley, ”holding what officers believed was a gun.” While enroute to the domestic incident, Police Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso saw Montano running so he exited the patrol car and gave chase on foot.
Actions taken by subject toward police: Montano refused to comply with PO Vasquez-Lasso’s repeated commands to stop running. As the officer closed the distance and was only feet behind him, Montano “racked his pistol”, pointed it at PO Vasquez-Lasso and started shooting.
Reactions by the police: PO Vasquez-Lasso managed to return fire, striking Montano in the face. Tragically PO Vasquez-Lasso was shot three times in the gunfight, one of which was a .45 caliber round to the head which proved fatal. Before Montano could escape, PO Vasquez-Lasso’s partner managed to Taser and arrest the injured cop-killer.
How murdered? PO Vasquez-Lasso was shot at close range chasing a domestic violence subject.
What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? Like most officers, PO Vasquez-Lasso hoped to catch the armed suspect without using deadly force, but in this case that restraint resulted in his own felonious murder. Montano should have been shot at the first moment it was safe to do so.
Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? Yes, Montano was holding a gun in his hand and therefore represented an immediate deadly threat to the police officers that were chasing him.
Outcome for the cop-killer: Montano was shot in the face, arrested, and charged with first-degree murder, interfering with reporting domestic violence, and aggravated discharge of a firearm.
Miscellaneous: Montano should have still been in jail awaiting trial or in prison serving time for his felony gun charges from less than a year ago.
