Three Chicago teenagers are facing charges after what police describe as a broad-daylight drive-by in Mount Prospect that sent neighbors scrambling but, fortunately, left no one hurt. The shooting unfolded around midday on June 16 on the 1400 block of South Hickory Drive near Cottonwood Lane and prompted a multi-agency response. Authorities allege shots were fired from a moving Toyota SUV as it passed through the neighborhood.
What police say
Mount Prospect officers say they were dispatched at about 12:11 p.m. on June 16 after a 911 caller reported a Toyota SUV traveling southbound on Hickory Drive when a front-seat passenger lowered a window and fired multiple rounds into the air. When officers arrived, they found several spent casings in the roadway but no injured people and no property damage.
According to the Mount Prospect Police Department, investigators used automated license plate readers to identify a possible offending vehicle and quickly alerted surrounding agencies to be on the lookout.
How officers tracked the car
About 20 minutes after the initial call, officers in Bensenville located and stopped the Toyota, then transported two male juveniles to Mount Prospect police headquarters for further investigation, local reporting says. Investigators used digital and physical evidence to link the occupants to the incident, and a third juvenile later turned himself in on June 18, according to Journal & Topics.
Charges and custody
The village charged two 15-year-old Chicago juveniles with one felony count of reckless discharge of a firearm and one misdemeanor count of mob action. A 14-year-old was charged with one misdemeanor count of mob action and released to a parent. The two teens facing the felony charges were transported to the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center in Chicago, the Mount Prospect news release says.
The department also underscored that criminal charges are only allegations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
How residents can help
Authorities asked anyone with video footage or information to contact the Mount Prospect Police Department Investigations Section at 847-870-5654, local reporting notes. Investigators said they are continuing to review digital evidence and canvass the area for additional leads, as reported by Journal & Topics.
The incident highlights how suburban departments are increasingly relying on automated license plate readers and interagency cooperation to quickly locate vehicles after reports of gunfire. Mount Prospect investigators say the probe remains active and urged anyone with information or footage to come forward.
