Two women are expected to recover after being shot early Sunday in Beach Park, and two suspects, a man and a juvenile, are now in police custody following a theatrical pursuit. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the incident began around 2 a.m. when Lake County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a vehicle crash and found two women with gunshot wounds inside a car with "extensive damage."
The women had reportedly been at a bar in North Chicago and were on their way home when a grey Dodge Charger Hellcat pulled up beside them on Green Bay Road and someone inside the vehicle opened fire. The Chicago Sun-Times stated that one woman was shot in the eye and the other in the leg. They were taken to nearby hospitals and are anticipated to make a full recovery. One of the deputies on the scene applied a tourniquet to the injured leg, potentially saving the woman's life.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office described a chaotic scene, with officers attempting several traffic stops on the suspect vehicle to no avail. According to CBS Chicago, about 30 minutes after the shooting, the grey Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat was spotted by a Waukegan Police officer, who attempted a traffic stop, but the driver sped away, evading officers twice before a deputy began a high-speed pursuit.
The pursuit ended when a Zion Police Officer deployed spike strips, bringing the vehicle to a crashing halt near Route 173 and Joana Avenue in Zion. The suspects attempted to flee on foot but were subsequently found with the assistance of police canines and drones. CBS Chicago shared that officers discovered a rifle and pistol in the suspects’ car, with an additional pistol found in a yard near where one of the suspects was apprehended.
Residents like Sharon, situated close to the site of the initial shooting, were shaken by the ordeal. "It was scary," Sharon told CBS Chicago, "because now that you hear what happened—here we are right by Green Bay Road. It's no good place anymore though, really." The Lake County Sheriff's Office is still investigating the incident and the Dodge, which is believed to have been stolen from Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. Charges are yet to be presented to the state's attorney's office.
