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Christian Soto, a 22-year-old man from Rockford, Illinois, was identified as the alleged suspect taken into custody following a stabbing spree that began from the 2300 block of Holmes Street and spilled into adjacent residential blocks in both Rockford and Winnebago County.
Channel 3 Now, citing the arrest record, reported that Christian Soto is the alleged suspect accused of killing four individuals on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. The attack also left one person in critical condition and four others with serious injuries. Authorities said two people were also wounded in Winnebago County, bringing the total count of injured victims to seven.
In a press release, authorities said on Wednesday afternoon, around 1:14 p.m., authorities received reports of a stabbing originating from the 2300 block of Holmes Street. Shortly after, police received multiple coordinated reports of stabbings extending across adjacent residential blocks in both Rockford and Winnebago County. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the reports of interconnected incidents.
The suspect was subsequently apprehended by a sheriff’s deputy twenty minutes after authorities received the initial call.
Alleged stabbing suspect Christian Soto attended Rockford East High School
While authorities did not name the suspect, citing an active investigation, Channel 3 Now, citing the arrest record, identified the suspect as Christian Soto. Shortly after, a social media user, Vincent Cruz, revealed he went to Rockford East High School with the alleged suspect.
A Facebook profile of the alleged suspect showed he went to Rockford East High School and graduated from Rock Valley College. He was working at a clothing store, Hollister Co, at the time of the incident.
Social media user Vincent Cruz, alongside Channel 3 Now, identified one of the four victims killed in the attack as Jacob Schupbach, who allegedly attended the same school as the suspect. In a Facebook post, Cruz wrote:
“I literally went to school with this guy like wtf. How could you do that? Someone who was so nice Jacob aka Bacca wouldn't hurt a fly and you do this shit to him is wild. I just don't get this world. Rest in peace Bacca we will never forget you, my guy.”
Several social media posts, including from a former classmate, paid tribute to the victim on Facebook. Nathan Valez, who also graduated from Rockford East High School, wrote:
“R.I.P. to one of the brothas. you were too young to go and forever will be missed love you bro feels like just yesterday we were all kickin it crackin jokes Jacob Schupbach can’t believe it doesn’t feel real bro would do anything to hang out one more time.”
Authorities did not name the victims but identified them as a 15-year-old girl, a 63-year-old woman, a 49-year-old man and a 22-year-old. Channel 3 News identified Jay Larson, 49, as a USPS mail carrier who was killed in the attack.
In a statement, U.S. Postal investigators stated that one of their mail carriers were among the deceased. Police have yet to determine the motive for the attack as they continue to investigate the case.
