Police name suspect in convenience store stabbing

Elgin police are seeking a known gang member suspected in the Oct. 18 stabbing of three men at a convenience store.

The Kane County State's Attorney's Office has issued a warrant for the arrest of Roberto Virola, 22, charging him with three counts of attempted murder and three counts of aggravated battery with a weapon.

Virola, whose last known address was 909 Jefferson Ave., Elgin, could be armed and should be considered dangerous, police said.

"We don't have a most wanted list in Elgin but if we did, Virola would be on it," Elgin Deputy Police Chief Jeff Svoboda said. "We absolutely want him off the street. Any gang member that we can take down off the street is a priority."

Police say the stabbing occurred when Virola walked into the Price Rite store, 180 Kimball St., about 10:57 p.m. Oct. 18, and began arguing with three rival gang members.

Virola, police said, stabbed one victim in the head, hand and chest. A second was stabbed in the lung area and needed 40 staples to close the puncture wound in his head.

One of the victims, Emmanuel Perez, 20, of the 200 block of Douglas Avenue, Elgin, was arrested about two weeks later on attempted murder and aggravated battery charges stemming from the Oct. 31 gang-related shooting of a 20-year-old woman.

The two other victims in the Oct. 18 stabbings have since been released from the hospital, police said.

Virola has relatives in Elgin and other Fox Valley communities, police said.

"He has been known to hang around Kimball Street and Elgin's northwest side," Svoboda said. "There's probably a lot of people in Elgin who know him."

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Virola is asked to call the Elgin gang investigation unit at (847) 289-2616. If anyone sees him on the street, you are asked to call (847) 289-2700 immediately.