Man arrested in Feb. 5 DeKalb shooting outside Lord Stanley’s bar

DeKALB – In the early-morning hours of Feb. 5, a DeKalb man wearing a black ski mask got into a fight with another man outside Lord Stanley’s bar downtown and then shot the man, according to court records.

The victim suffered multiple wounds to his hand, upper leg and body from one bullet fired from a 9-mm gun, records show. DeKalb police responded about 12:10 a.m. Feb. 5 to reports of gunfire in the public parking lot behind Lord Stanley’s and the Annex, 142 E. Lincoln Highway.

Christian M. Rios, 24, of DeKalb was arrested March 12 and faces 10 felony criminal charges after police alleged that he was the one who fired the gun.

Rios is charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, a Class X felony; two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm; possession of a firearm by a street gang member; aggravated battery; two counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon; mob action; possession of a firearm without a firearm owner’s identification card; and possession of ammunition without a FOID card. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison.

Through interviews with the victim, video surveillance footage and multiple witnesses, police said they learned about an alleged confrontation that preempted the shooting.

About midnight, the victim allegedly walked out the back door of the bar with another person, and outside was a group of four men, including Rios, Christian Contreras and Anthony Lara, who also face charges in the incident.

Rios wore dark clothing and a black ski mask. Contreras wore a blue hoodie. Lara wore dark clothing and had a dark-colored backpack, according to records.

Multiple witnesses described the shooter as wearing a black ski mask, according to court records.

As the victim walked past the four men, Contreras exchanged confrontational words with the victim, police said in court records filed Feb. 9.

The victim continued to walk away while Rios, Contreras and Lara approached him, surrounded him and began punching him, according to DeKalb County court records.

During the fight, a black handgun allegedly “fell out from somewhere on Rios’ person,” the victim told police, according to court records.

Rios then picked up the gun, and as the victim was walking away, he shot the victim once, authorities allege. Rios, Contreras and Lara then fled the parking lot on foot.

DeKalb police issued a warrant for Rios’ arrest Feb. 9. He was arrested March 12 during what DeKalb police this week said was a “warrant sweep” of the city.

The DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office on March 13 filed a motion asking a judge to deny pretrial release to Rios. Circuit Court Judge Joseph Pedersen ruled in favor of that request March 13, records show.

Rios is represented by the DeKalb County Public Defender’s Office.

Lara and Contreras also have been arrested in connection with the shooting.

Lara, 23, and Contreras, 27, both of DeKalb, are charged with one count each of aggravated battery and mob action.

Lara was arrested in February and released with a notice to appear in court. A DeKalb County warrant for Contreras’ arrest was issued Feb. 9, although he’s being held in the Illinois Department of Corrections as of Tuesday, DeKalb police said. Contreras was on work release through the IDOC at the time of the shooting, the DeKalb Police Department said.

Rios is next expected to appear in court for a status hearing at 10 a.m. April 4.