Mercedes Tavares, a 24-year-old woman from Chicago, IL, tragically lost her life on December 11, 2022, in a shooting incident. The shooting occurred just before 2:30 a.m. in the 5500 block of West School Street. Mercedes, who was a mother to infant twins and a young son, was one of three individuals killed in this senseless act of violence. The incident reportedly followed a fight at a nearby bar, and the other victims were identified as 50-year-old Ricky Vera and 26-year-old Mario Pozuelos.
A 25-year-old woman was also critically injured in the shooting.
The events leading to the shooting began at the Vera Lounge, a bar in the Portage Park neighborhood, where Mercedes Tavares was celebrating with friends. A quarrel inside the bar escalated and spilled out into the street. According to police reports, 32-year-old Samuel Parsons-Salas was identified as the shooter. Parsons-Salas allegedly shot four people, including Mercedes Tavares, before fleeing the scene in a dark-colored SUV. He was later charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of kidnapping. The kidnapping charge stemmed from Parsons-Salas forcing his girlfriend to drive him away from the scene at gunpoint.
Mercedes Tavares' death has left her family and friends devastated. Her sister, Josaline Golota, described Mercedes as a loving mother who was simply out enjoying a night with friends. Golota has seen the surveillance footage of the shooting, which showed Parsons-Salas shooting Mercedes multiple times. Prosecutors revealed that Parsons-Salas admitted to shooting everyone who called out his name during the quarrel but expressed regret for shooting Mercedes. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and Parsons-Salas remains in custody awaiting trial.
The community has rallied around Mercedes Tavares' family, with a GoFundMe campaign started by the father of her children to help cover funeral expenses. As of the latest updates, no other suspects have been identified, and the focus remains on bringing justice for Mercedes and the other victims of this tragic event.
