A deadly stabbing rampage in Rockford this week left four people dead and seven others hurt in what has been described as a home invasion.
The dramatic scene unfolded in multiple locations and resulted in an arrest.
Here's what we know about the case so far:
What happened?
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Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said police received a medical call at 1:14 p.m. followed by additional calls for police and paramedics.
Authorities later said stabbing attacks took place at multiple locations in the area. Redd said not all of the victims found at multiple addresses in the city had stab wounds and none were shot.
Details on how the stabbings unfolded have not been released.
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The mayor wrote on the city’s Facebook page that “multiple jurisdictions” are “working on multiple crime scenes to develop an understanding of what transpired in an effort to prevent this from happening again.”
Residents were being asked to review home surveillance footage for anything related to the attacks.
What do we know about the victims?
A 15-year-old girl, a 63-year-old woman, a 49-year-old man and a 22-year-old man were killed. Police said three of them died where they were attacked and a fourth died at a hospital. Authorities have not released the victims' names, but the United States Postal Inspection Service, a division of the United States Postal Service, confirmed Thursday that a letter carrier was among the dead.
“Postal inspectors are working with the Rockford Police Department in this investigation,” agency spokesperson Michael Martel said in an email.
Rockford resident Cassandra Hernandez said her friend was among the victims, and that she mourns the loss of the mail carrier who neighbors believe was hit by a vehicle and stabbed.
“You never expect this here,” Hernandez told the Rockford Register Star. “Just to think that it happened here, and we have such great neighbors and the mailman.”
Redd said Wednesday that one of the injured was in critical condition. The Rockford Police Department and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office have not responded to messages left Thursday seeking updates on the surviving victims’ conditions.
Sheriff Gary Caruana said Wednesday that the suspect was with a woman when he was arrested, and that the suspect had attacked her and a bystander.
“The young lady ran from him,” Caruana said. “She got some stab wounds in her hands and her face. She is in serious condition. One of the good Samaritans stopped to help her out. He did get some stab wounds. He is being checked out.”
Was there a motive?
Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said the suspect likely acted alone.
“We don’t believe there’s any other suspects that are on the run or at large at this particular time,” Redd said Wednesday. “Right now, we don’t have a clear motive as to what caused this individual to commit such a heinous crime.”
Was an arrest made?
Authorities have released little information about the suspect, who was arrested Wednesday by a Winnebago County sheriff’s deputy responding to a reported home invasion.
Twenty-two-year-old Christian Soto was taken into custody for the incident Wednesday, according to Rockford officials. He faces more than 12 charges, including charges of murder and home invasion. Soto is expected to make his first court appearance at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
The suspect was arrested by a Winnebago County sheriff’s deputy after they were called to a reported home invasion, Sheriff Gary Caruana said.
“The young lady ran from him,” Caruana said of one of the survivors. “She got some stab wounds in her hands and her face. She is in serious condition. One of the good Samaritans stopped to help her out. He did get some stab wounds. He is being checked out.”
Resident Vanessa Hy, told NBC affiliate WREX-TV in Rockford that she witnessed the arrest.
“All of the sudden, we heard police run up on both sides of the house screaming, ‘Stop! Get down!’” Hy told the TV station. “Then they ran into the backyard and after a few minutes we saw them bringing the suspect down the driveway in handcuffs and he was very bloody.”
Where is Rockford?
Rockford, which has a population is about 150,000, is located about 90 miles northwest of Chicago.
The violence Wednesday came days after a teenage employee of a Walmart in the city was stabbed and killed inside the store.
“Today, we are shocked by another horrific act of violence against innocent members of our community,” Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said, adding "our primary concern is ensuring that our community members directly impacted by this violence are supported throughout their healing and recovery.”
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker offered his condolences in wake of the tragedy.
