Adrianna Lopez, a 37-year-old special education teacher in the Chicago Public Schools system was tragically gunned down in front of her home on Sunday, October 22. Shot over ten times, the prime suspect in her murder is reported to be her ex-boyfriend, Cristobal Santana, according to Chicago Sun-Times.
Santana, also 37, was apprehended in Springfield yesterday, following a shootout with an Illinois State Police trooper who sustained serious leg injuries and is currently in critical condition. The arrest occured, the subsequent day at 2 a.m. and Santana's specific injuries were not disclosed.
Following the end of their relationship, which lasted approximately 18 months, Lopez had expressed concerns about Santana's potentially violent behaviour to her family. Santana had allegedly kicked in a door during a dispute, prompting Lopez to pursue an order of protection, as per Chicago Sun-TImes.
Law enforcement is unable to confirm the existence of an order of protection. In the wake of Lopez's death, it is evident that the measures currently in place to protect potential victims of domestic abuse were insufficient in this instance.
Reports show that last year, the city of Chicago experienced 36 firearm-related domestic violence deaths and 79 non-fatal shootings of a similar nature. This statistic highlights the need to reform the legal safeguards that protect individuals at risk. The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence has appealed to the Illinois General Assembly, urging them to enact legislation removing firearms from the possession of individuals accused of domestic violence, according to NBC Chicago.
A proposal, Karina's Bill, named, after Karina Gonzalez who was fatally shot in her home, if passed, requires law enforcement officers to remove firearms when serving an emergency order of protection. This bill also seeks to clarify the judicial language for the issuance of a search warrant to remove a firearm, further details NBC Chicago.
