Brito found guilty of attempted murder in Ottawa shooting near courthouse

Anthony Brito fired shots outside La Salle County’s downtown Ottawa courthouse, a jury ruled Friday, and he was trying to kill Larry Burns.

A jury deliberated about two hours Friday and convicted Brito, 32, of Ottawa, of attempted murder, plus three additional felonies, and made a finding that the crime was committed with a firearm. The La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office projected a sentencing range of 26 to 50 years.

There were muffled sobs in the spectators’ gallery as the verdicts were read. Brito swiveled and rocked in his chair as the jurors were polled, confirming their verdicts.

“You don’t give me no fair trial,” Brito told Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. after he was denied release.

Corrections officers immediately led him away.

“The jury had absolutely the correct verdict,” La Salle County State’s Attorney Joe Navarro said. “I believe the evidence was overwhelming. Both my prosecutors did an excellent job.”

Brito was charged after an investigation into a shooting Sept. 12, 2023, in downtown Ottawa. From the passenger seat of a green sport-utility vehicle, Brito aimed at Burns in another and, after a pair of misfires, squeezed off multiple rounds. Four shell casings were recovered at the scene.

Prosecutors had said Brito was trying to silence Burns, who was cooperating in a separate investigation against Brito.

Burns wasn’t the only one to see Brito fire the gun. The driver of the SUV, Blake Miller, testified earlier at trial that Brito surprised him by pulling a gun out of his waistband and then firing out the window at Burns.

Chicago defense attorney Charles Snowden didn’t dispute the firearms expert showing that the gun had been discharged, but he did challenge the DNA testimony linking it to Brito. Snowden asked jurors to consider the possibility that the DNA was attached to the gun by “secondary transfer,” possibly from Brito’s clothing rather than from his hands.

As for Burns’ and Miller’s eyewitness testimony, Snowden urged jurors to consider that both men are convicted felons with drug problems and credibility issues.

“I would argue that their case does rest on Larry Burns,” Snowden said. “It does rest on Blake Miller. It rests with them. You have to believe them. If you don’t believe them, then there’s no case.”

But prosecutor Greg Sticka pointed out that Burns’ testimony ran “parallel” to Miller’s and, significantly, neither knew the other. There was no familiarity or agreement to concoct testimony against Brito.

“Two people who didn’t know each other independently identify Anthony Brito as the shooter,” Sticka said.

Police seized a 9-mm pistol at the Ottawa residence where Brito was taken into custody. A forensic analyst testified that the pistol matched shell casings recovered at the scene. Another analyst testified that the DNA found on the pistol was most likely Brito’s.

With the identity of the gunman established, there was other evidence showing that Brito was trying to kill Burns.

Brito put several bullets into Burns’ car, one of them through the windshield above the steering wheel at about the level of Burns’ head. Brito also squeezed the trigger a total of six times, counting two misfires, Sticka said, ruling out the possibility of a stray bullet or warning shot meant merely to get Burns’ attention.

“This isn’t a case where you only have to believe Blake Miller,” Sticka said. “This isn’t a case where you only have to believe Larry Burns. This is a big picture. All this evidence comes together, and it points in only one direction.”

Sentencing will be at 10 a.m. Oct. 15.