Mather High School student charged with raping girl at gunpoint in Albany Park alley

A horrifying incident occurred late last year in Albany Park, where a 15-year-old girl was brutally raped at gunpoint in an alley while her friend was held at knifepoint nearby. The suspect, 17-year-old Gerson Castillo Flores, a student at Mather High School originally from Colombia, has been charged in connection with this heinous crime. He appeared in court and was ordered to be detained pending trial by Judge Luciano Panici, Jr.

According to prosecutors, the victim and her friend were walking towards a bridge to take pictures around 9:20 p.m. on November 21 when they noticed two males following them. One of the males, later identified as Flores wearing a ski mask, began chasing them as they crossed the street to avoid them. Flores caught up to the victim, who he then forced into the alley behind the 2900 block of West Wilson Avenue at gunpoint. He sexually assaulted her while threatening to shoot her if she made any noise.

During the assault, the victim managed to text her friend for help, who entered the alley only to be confronted by Flores’s accomplice holding a knife to her stomach. The accomplice took her phone and prevented her from intervening. The victim, in a desperate attempt to lower Flores’s guard, kissed him and was able to see his face when he briefly lifted his mask.

A passerby walking his dog spotted the teenagers and called 911 before walking away. Surveillance cameras captured Flores and his accomplice leaving the area, with Flores admitting to firing his weapon, which he claimed was an air gun, as he exited the alley after the assault.

Investigators were able to track down body-worn camera footage from a traffic stop on the assailant’s getaway car, which showed Flores with his accomplice and another individual on the night of the assault. The victim positively identified Flores in a photo lineup conducted last month.

This disturbing incident serves as a reminder of the dangers that young girls face in our community. It also highlights the importance of being vigilant and aware of one’s surroundings. Our thoughts are with the victim and her friend as they navigate through this traumatic experience.

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