A former Illinois police officer responsible for shooting into a car two years ago, killing a Black man and injuring the man's girlfriend, has been charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. The Lake County State’s Attorney’s office said it had unsealed grand jury indictments against former Waukegan officer Dante Salinas in the Oct. 20, 2020, shooting resulting in the death of 19-year-old Marcellis Stinnette, and seriously wounding his girlfriend, Tafara Williams. Salinas was also indicted on felony counts of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and official misconduct, according to the Associated Press.
The couple's car was stopped by a different Waukegan officer, who called for backup after Williams suddenly drove off. The officer pursued them and Salinas responded joined the chase. When Williams drove off a roadway and crashed, then put her car in reverse in an attempt to leave, Salinas had climbed out of his squad car and “fired several shots into the driver’s side of the vehicle as it continued to reverse past him." Williams was wounded and Stinnette, who prosecutors said had committed no crime, was killed. An expert analyzing the trajectory of the bullets said Salinas was not in the path of Williams’ car at the time of the shooting. Salinas surrendered Thursday and was being held on a $350,000 bond. Williams has been charged with aggravated fleeing. She turned herself in and was released on a $50,000 recognizance bond.