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A 22-year-old Illinois man has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder in a stabbing spree that killed four people, including a 15-year-old girl, and injured seven others on Wednesday, authorities said.
In addition to those charges, Christian Soto was hit with seven counts of attempted murder and home invasion with a dangerous weapon following the rampage across multiple locations in Rockford, Illinois, officials said during a press conference on Thursday.
The victims include Jacob Schupbach, 22, Ramona Schupbach 63, Jay Larson, 49, and 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb. Police said three of them died where they were attacked, and a fourth died at a hospital.
Larson was identified as a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Postal Service. Officials said Soto ran him down with a car and then stabbed him.
Soto is also accused of breaking into another home and stabbing a woman with a knife. The woman ran from the home, and as she was being stabbed, a good Samaritan driving by stopped to intervene. The good Samaritan was also stabbed.
Deputies and police arrived and chased Soto over multiple fences before taking him into custody.
The deputy who apprehended Soto was struck multiple times and stabbed in one of his hands. He was treated for his injuries.
Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said that three of the injured people remained hospitalized while four others were treated and released.
Soto will be in court Thursday afternoon to hear the charges and for a judge to determine whether he will remain in jail pending trial.
