Family of Victor Cazares Jr. Files Lawsuit Against the Town of Cicero

Image description: Two older people, a man and woman, sit facing the camera, on a brown couch. The man is balding and has white hair, he has his left arm around the woman. The woman has blonde hair and in a ponytail. They both are wearing gray t shi…

Victor's parents, Victor Sr. and Lupe Cazares, sit in their home in Cicero, Ill. on a summer day in 2020 while wearing t-shirts in memory of their son (Photo by Jesus J. Montero).

By Abel Rodriguez

On June 1, 2020, as Cicero and surrounding areas witnessed civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd, Cicero resident , Victor M. Cazares Jr, was shot outside of Super Espiga Grocery Store, located on 4920 W 14th St, he was pronounced dead later that day.

Cazares’ family is now suing The Town of Cicero, two paramedics with the Cicero Fire Department and a former Cicero Fire lieutenant.

According to the lawsuit filed on February 23, Justin Zheng and Gene Lazcano, both paramedics with the Cicero Fire Department, were dispatched to treat Cazares’ injury and minutes after arriving on the scene photographed Cazares, without his consent, as he lay on the stretcher, they then forwarded the photo to Frank Rand, a retired Cicero Fire Department Lieutenant.

Rand then posted the photo to a Cicero Facebook group with the caption, “Come to Cicero to loot and break shit! Get a free body bag!! Nice headshot!!”

Cicero Independiente first reached out to the Town of Cicero spokesperson back in June of last year when the image first started circulating on social media. At the time, Town spokesperson Ray Hanania said Rand had not been employed by the Town of Cicero for nearly two years and that he had no idea how Rand could have obtained the image. “He was an active duty firefighter in the past but we have no ties to him and no control over his personal views or anything that he’s doing. We have no relationship with him whatsoever,” said Hanania about Rand.

The Town of Cicero spokesperson has not returned additional requests for comment.

According to the lawsuit, Zheng and Lazcano arrived at the site of the emergency at 6:23 pm and by 6:25 pm the photo had already been shared on the Facebook group with over 8,000 members.

“There was no medical or any other legitimate need or justification for Defendants Zheng and Lazcano to take an unauthorized photograph of Mr. Cazares and cause it to be published on Facebook.... Zheng, Lazcano, and Rand’s actions were undertaken with the intent to cause, or were in reckless or negligent disregard of the probability that their conduct would cause, injuries to Victor Cazares and the Cazares Family,” states the lawsuit.

The suit argues that Rand’s caption was not only emotionally distressing for the family but is also defamatory as Cazares had not been looting or causing damage to property. Cazarese and his neighbors had gathered outside the grocery store to deter any vandalism. “Mr. Cazares was not a criminal, but a good samaritan,” reads the lawsuit.

Speaking to Fox 32 Chicago, Town of Cicero spokesperson said, “when we were informed of the photo of Mr. Cazares, the Town immediately opened an investigation into the incident with internal affairs.”

The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Illinois, alleges several violations of federal and state law including conspiracy, invasion of privacy, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Additional reporting by Jesus J. Montero.

Abel Rodriguez is a contributing reporter for Cicero Independiente.