Antonio Gamboa | Homicide Watch Chicago

Comment of the Day: "Or how about we learn to not ... violently stab people that are courageous enough to do the right thing?"

Michael Lansu — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 16:43:04 -0600

Prosecutors claim Aaron Rutigliano fatally stabbed Antonio Gamboa Feb. 1 after Gamboa attempted to break up a fight at a Super Bowl party between Rutigliano and his girlfriend. Reader Maxine Kao posted this about the attack:

Or how about we learn to not beat our girlfriends and violently stab people that are courageous enough to do the right thing? Antonio Gamboa is a hero and I know his story will not deter me from stepping in if I witness the same thing. If we fail to protect those that cannot protect themselves because we are afraid, then we are failing ourselves and humanity.

Aaron Rutigliano charged with murder in Super Bowl party stabbing death of local musician Antonio Gamboa

Michael Lansu — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 15:03:16 -0600

Antonio Gamoba / Photo from GoFundMe.com

BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

A local personal trainer allegedly stabbed a musician to death and injured two women at a Super Bowl party because they tried to help the girlfriend he roughed up during the festivities on the Near South Side.

Aaron Rutigliano shoved Antonio Gamboa up against the wall in the apartment in the 2300 block of South Michigan Avenue and stabbed him over a dozen times Sunday night, Assistant State’s Attorney Jaimie Santini said.

Gamboa and other partygoers had tried to come to the aide of Rutigliano’s girlfriend after Rutigliano grabbed the woman's arm, neck and hair before shoving her to the ground, Santini said.

The girlfriend screamed for help as Rutigliano stood over her, Santini said.

Rutigliano first stabbed the women who tried to help, slashing them with a knife he had hidden in his pocket, Santini said.

One woman was wounded in the wrist and the other was struck in her side.

When Gamboa tried to stop the altercation, Rutigliano allegedly stabbed him five times in the chest, twice in the neck, four times in the back and twice in the left eye.

Another partygoer tried to subdue the 29-year-old Rutigliano, but he kept fighting back and threatened the rest of the guests by telling them, “I’m going to kill you all,” prosecutors said.

That partygoer and another man were eventually able to stab Rutigliano inside the apartment, Santini said.

Rutigliano, originally from Lagrangeville, N.Y., was held down by some guests before the police arrived.

Rutigliano did not appear in bond court Tuesday because he was recuperating from his wounds at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered Rutigliano held in lieu of $1 million bond on murder and aggravated battery charges.

Rutigliano is a personal trainer at an XSport gym and is a door host at Ala Carte Entertainment, his LinkedIn Page said.

Gamboa was in the local band Sarin, according to a GoFundMe page set up to pay for his funeral expenses.

Gamboa was remembered by friends as the “life of the party” who always made everyone smile and laugh.

“If you knew Tony, you knew he was a tender loving butterfly. Tony would always put others before himself.... He passed away a hero,” the GoFundMe page said.

“He helped anyone who needed a hand even if they were complete strangers and that cost him his life.”

-- Contributing: Michael Lansu

WEEK IN REVIEW: Six killed throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 10:45:52 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Five men were shot to death and another was fatally stabbed last week in Chicago.

The most recent killing happened when 23-year-old Antonio Gamboa was stabbed at a Super Bowl party in the 2300 block of South Michigan Avenue when he tried to break up a fight between an arguing couple, authorities said.

Gamboa, of the 1600 block of North Kimball Avenue, died at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

On Saturday, 22-year-old Savoy Young was shot multiple times in an alley in the 8100 block of South Chappel Avenue in the South Chicago neighborhood about 11:15 a.m., authorities said.

Young, of the 8200 block of South Luella Avenue, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner's office.

On Friday, 34-year-old Leandrew Harper was shot multiple times in the 7000 block of South Honore Street in West Englewood about 5:40 p.m., authorities said.

Harper, who lived on the block, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner's office.

On Thursday, 20-year-old Israel Pena was shot in the chest in the 1200 block of West 32nd Street in Bridgeport about 3 a.m., authorities said.

Pena, of the 800 block of Montague Street in Rockford, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner's office.

In the West Pullman neighborhood, 24-year-old Myron Collier shot in the head near East 119th Street and South Yale Avenue about 2:05 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Collier, of the 10000 block of South Pulaski Road, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. A 29-year-old man was also wounded in the shooting, police said.

Christopher Cage, 27, of the 300 block of West 109th Place, was charged with first-degree murder in Collier's death, police said.

The killings started when 23-year-old Angelo Porter was shot in the head while walking in the 600 block of East 51st Street about 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Porter, of an unidentified home address, later died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Additionally, 39-year-old Alexander Villafane, of the 2300 block of South St. Louis Avenue, died Tuesday after being wounded during a Jan. 25 drive-by shooting in the 3500 block of West 24th Street, authorities said.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 29 Chicago deaths in 2015 a homicide.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different by following federal guidelines, reported 28 January murders, a 40 percent increase compared to January 2014, but a decrease compared to 2012 and 2013.

Antonio Gamboa fatally stabbed at Near South Side Super Bowl party

Michael Lansu — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 10:33:13 -0600

Antonio Gamboa was stabbed to death during a Super Bowl party Sunday night on the Near South Side.

Gamboa, 23, was at the party in the 2300 block of South Michigan Avenue when a couple began to argue, authorities said.

When Gamboa attempted to stop the argument, the man stabbed him in the abdomen, authorities said.

Gamboa, of the 1600 block of North Kimball Avenue, died at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

As word of Gamboa's death spread, friends and family took to social media to express their condolences:

The 28-year-old attacker was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with stab wounds, police said. Charges were pending Monday morning.

Nobody else was injured during the fight.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire