Rockford, Illinois was left reeling after a stabbing spree left four people dead and seven others injured on Wednesday. The suspect, 22-year-old Christian Soto, has been charged with multiple counts of murder/intent to kill and home invasion, as confirmed by police on Thursday morning. He is expected to make a court appearance later today at 1:30 p.m., according to CBS News.
The rapid succession of violent acts unfolded within 20 minutes across various locations in Rockford, with the first attack reported as a home invasion on the intersection of Florence Street and Eggleston Road. A young woman attempting to escape was seriously wounded, stabbed in the face, and hands, while a man who came to her aid also suffered stab wounds. The 911 calls stacked up, painting a frenzied scene as Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd stated, that, not all the victims suffered stab wounds, though none were shot.
The deceased have been identified as a 15-year-old girl, a 63-year-old woman, a 49-year-old man, and a 22-year-old man. The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office revealed that two additional people were injured in the county's jurisdiction, Rockford's Police Chief Carla Redd said in a statement obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times. Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara called the incident "another horrific act of violence against innocent members of our community" and pledged support for the victims and their families, as noted by the Chicago Sun-Times.
In the aftermath, community members have expressed shock and grief. Among the victims was a well-liked mail carrier, his death was confirmed by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Rockford resident Ruth Gallagher lamented the loss of the mailman, described as “the kindest person” and someone “who would help anybody.” The city is expected to offer counseling services starting Thursday at Flinn Middle School to help the community process the tragedy, revealed a report by CBS News. The motivations behind the attack remain unclear, while police are working alongside several jurisdictions to piece together the events in hopes of preventing future occurrences.
