A man accused of shooting at two people who allegedly stole his minivan Saturday evening in the North Lawndale neighborhood was released on electronic monitoring.
About 6 p.m., 44-year-old Wilfrido Cruz called police to report his Dodge Grand Caravan stolen from his home in the 4300 block of West Cullerton, according to a statement from Chicago Police.
Officers responded to meet with Cruz and take down a report, police said. Cruz, who has a conceal carry license and a FOID card, left to search for his vehicle armed with a handgun, police said.
A few minutes later, Cruz saw two males in his vehicle two blocks away, in the 4100 block of West Cullerton, police said.
He opened fire on his own minivan with the two people inside, who got out and ran away, Cook County prosecutors said at a bond hearing on Sunday. No one was hurt.
Cruz went back to his home and hid his weapon, police said.
He returned and told officers–who were still at the scene and had heard the gunfire–that the people who took the minivan tried to run him over with it, and that he fired in self-defense, prosecutors said.
The officers discovered Cruz had two semi-automatic handguns, a revolver and a rifle, police said.
Cruz, who works for a west suburban private security company, was charged with one felony count of aggravated discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle, according to court records.
Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered Cruz released on electronic monitoring on Sunday. He is next scheduled to appear in court on March 27.
