(WTTW News)

A Cook County judge has denied bail for a man accused of shooting at a trio of siblings, wounding an 8-year-old boy, as they made their way to school last week in the Brighton Park neighborhood.

Ricco Carrasco, 29, was arrested this week and charged with aggravated battery and two counts of aggravated assault stemming from the Feb. 18 shooting. Cook County prosecutors on Thursday said they are also charging him with one count of attempted murder.

At around 7:40 a.m. on the morning of the shooting, a 19-year-old man left with his 17-year-old sister and 8-year-old brother to drive them to school, according to prosecutors.

Their first stop was in the Brighton Park area, but when they got into the 4000 block of South Brighton Place, the group was approached by a black Dodge Caravan that pulled beside them.

Prosecutors alleged that vehicle was driven by Carrasco, who pulled up parallel to the victims’ car and began waving a black firearm out the window. The 19-year-old began lowering his own window as Carrasco allegedly tapped the gun against it, but then attempted to drive away.

As they did so, Carrasco pointed the gun at the vehicle and fired two shots, striking it in the rear trunk area, prosecutors said. One of those bullets struck the 8-year-old — who had been sitting in the backseat of the car — in the buttocks.

The 19-year-old drove to a nearby high school and then flagged down a police officer to report the shooting. The 8-year-old was transported to Stroger Hospital in serious condition and kept there overnight, prosecutors said.

After the shooting, Carrasco allegedly fled southbound in the Caravan, and was followed by an orange SUV that pulled a U-turn to tail behind it. According to prosecutors, investigators were able to identify the Caravan’s license plate using a plate reader, and found it was registered to Carrasco’s girlfriend.

Additionally, investigators discovered Carrasco had been listed as the victim in a car accident involving that vehicle, and that his girlfriend had recently rented an orange SUV, which had the same license plates as the vehicle that trailed the Caravan after the shooting, prosecutors said.

The 17-year-old victim was also able to provide investigators with a description of the shooter, which prosecutors said included details about specific tattoos Carrasco has on his face and neck.

Chicago police officers located the Caravan on Tuesday in the 2700 block of West 45th Street and arrested Carrasco as he entered the vehicle.

Carrasco is due in court for a hearing March 4.

Contact Matt Masterson:@ByMattMasterson |[email protected]| (773) 509-5431