Four people were killed and several others injured in a violent stabbing attack in Rockford, Illinois, on Wednesday that left neighbors reeling.
Local police said one victim was in critical condition and several others were in stable condition after the suspect allegedly stabbed them, NBC News reported Wednesday.
The suspect in the case has been identified as 22-year-old Christian Soto who is expected to appear in court on Thursday afternoon.
Updated Mugshot: 22-year-old Christian Soto identified as Rockford stabbing suspecthttps://t.co/CHWWtkGzz9 pic.twitter.com/Pad00f8lMJ
— Channel3 Now (@channel3nownews) March 28, 2024
Per the NBC report, the names of those killed have not yet been revealed.
However, the victims include a 15-year-old girl, a 63-year-old woman, a 49-year-old man, and a 22-year-old man.
At least four people are dead and five are hurt – one in critical condition – after a suspect went on a stabbing spree in Rockford, Illinois, officials say. With the suspect in custody and no known motive, @perezreports has the latest. https://t.co/gYJtzyxreB pic.twitter.com/KMb95ZpYGl
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) March 28, 2024
Their causes of death and the causes of injury for the survivors remained unclear. According to Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd, not all of the victims were stabbed but none of them were shot.
CBS Chicago reported Thursday that seven individuals were hurt during the incident, noting the violent spree began as a home invasion.
“The attacks continued and first responders were dispatched to several locations across Rockford and the surrounding parts of Winnebago County,” the outlet said:
One of the people killed was a local mail carrier.
According to Fox 32, he was run over before being stabbed. The outlet said the suspect was taken into custody near one of the crime scenes 21 minutes after the first call was made to law enforcement for help.
A reporter for the outlet said a motive remained unclear:
In one of the 911 calls, an official is heard saying, “This is a mass incident involving several people,” per CBS Chicago.
In a social media post Thursday, Channel 3 Now shared an image of the suspect and a list of the charges against him:
Illinois Rockford stabbing suspect Christian Soto mugshot and charges.https://t.co/CHWWtkGzz9 pic.twitter.com/J261b5C7e6
— Channel3 Now (@channel3nownews) March 28, 2024
Meanwhile, Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara and fellow officials shared their grief over the incident. McNamara said he was “just totally shaken by this act of violence and the impact that it’s having now on multiple families’ lives.”
The NBC article noted that Rockford is located approximately 60 miles northwest of Chicago.
