Jan. 13--Bail was denied Wednesday for a gang member accused of killing an 18-year-old man and wounding a 22-year-old woman after flashing gang signs at their car in the Little Village neighborhood in June of 2013, according to prosecutors.
Moises Padilla, 23, is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm in the death of Alexander Lagunas and the wounding of his girlfriend's friend, according to the Cook County state's attorney's office.
Lagunas, his girlfriend and the 22-year-old woman, were in a car stopped near West 31st Street and South Pulaski Road about 12:30 a.m. on June 16, prosecutors said. Lagunas was in the driver's seat, his girlfriend next to him and her friend in the back, prosecutors said in court.
A silver SUV, captured on surveillance video, pulled up and Padilla rolled down a window on the passenger side and displayed a sign for the Two Six gang. Lagunas responded with the same sign, prosecutors said.
But Padilla was actually a member of the Latin Kings, a rival gang. Padilla pulled out a gun and shot into the car about seven times, yelling "King Love" and hitting Lagunas and the 22-year-old woman in the back seat. The SUV sped away.
Lagunas was brought to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he later died. The woman was hit in the abdomen and was also taken to Mount Sinai.
Nine days later, authorities executed an unrelated search warrant at Padilla's home and recovered a .22-caliber rifle. Lab tests found that the shell casings at the scene and a bullet from Lagunas' body came from the rifle, prosecutors said.
A witness later identified Padilla as the person who shot at Lagunas' car. Padilla also admitted to two people that he was involved in the shooting, according to the Cook County state's attorney's office.
Padilla has previously been convicted of two felonies -- aggravated DUI and possession of a defaced firearm -- and several misdemeanors, the office said. He was sentenced to two years in prison, according to officials.
His next court appearance is Feb. 1.
