Veronica Moreno, a 21-year-old woman, tragically lost her life on December 5, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois. She was driving in the Brighton Park neighborhood when she was shot in the head around 1:45 p.m. in the 4300 block of South Albany Avenue. Despite her critical condition, she managed to stop her vehicle a few blocks away in the 4100 block of South Fairfield Avenue. Paramedics treated her at the scene before she was transported to Mt.
Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead the following day at 5:01 p.m. An autopsy confirmed that her death was a homicide.
The investigation into Veronica Moreno's death revealed that she was a mother of a 6-month-old infant. On the day of the shooting, Jacob Salazar, a 17-year-old teenager, was inside a barbershop near the scene when he spotted a vehicle stopped at a red light at Albany and Archer avenues. Armed with a handgun, Salazar ran towards the vehicle and began firing, with one bullet striking Veronica Moreno on the left side of her head. Multiple surveillance cameras captured Salazar inside the barbershop, running outside, and firing at the vehicle. He was also recorded waiting in an alley for several minutes after the shooting before getting into a maroon-colored car that picked him up.
Jacob Salazar was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of Veronica Moreno. He was denied bail and taken into custody on the murder charge. Salazar was also facing a pending charge of unlawful use of a weapon after he was seen tossing a 9-mm handgun to the ground when approached by police officers on December 29, 2019. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and officials did not specify whether Veronica Moreno was the intended target.
The case of Veronica Moreno's death highlights the tragic consequences of gun violence and the impact it has on families and communities. As the investigation continues, the hope is that justice will be served for Veronica Moreno and her loved ones.
