Makell Meyerin, 31, of Antioch, was identified as the woman shot and killed by police officers in Gurnee Wednesday afternoon, and her accomplice, Jordan J. Huff, 37, of Antioch has been formally charged by police.
The incident happened around 1:20 p.m. Wednesday, just hours after the Antioch police standoff, near Route 41 and Grand Avenue in Gurnee. Police were called to a report of a suspicious white Toyota Prius with a bullet hole in it near Harper Avenue and Gould Street.
Police officers found the vehicle, which was occupied by Jordan J. Huff, 37, of Antioch, who was unconscious from a possible heroin overdose, and a woman, identified as Makell Meyerin, 31, of Antioch. Officers were talking with Meyerin as paramedics were arriving when the woman tried fleeing from police.
Meyerin crashed into a fire truck and continued to drive off from the scene. Police chased the car to Chittenden Park where she crashed in a wooded area and then ran on foot. Meyerin waived a long-barrel gun around while standing in the road and she was shot and killed by responding officers, the Lake County Major Crime Task Force said.
Officials said that Huff was transported to an area hospital where he was treated and released. Two police officers were also transported to the hospital for evaluation but they were not physically injured. Meyerin was pronounced dead at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
An autopsy performed on Meyerin Thursday revealed she died from multiple gunshot wounds, Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper said. The Lake County Major Crime Task Force said that Huff has been charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, criminal damage to state supported property and resisting a peace officer.
Earlier in the day in Antioch, police were called to a report of a suspicious white Volkswagen at 6:30 a.m. in the 400 block of Donin Road. Authorities said Huff was the driver of the vehicle, Meyerin was in the front passenger seat and another unidentified woman was the backseat passenger. Officials said Huff rammed into an Antioch police squad car during the traffic stop and then sped away.
Officials said that at one point one of the passengers in the vehicle pointed a long-barrel gun outside the window and fired a gunshot; however, no injuries were reported.
The vehicle was later found in the 40500 block of North Route 83 in Antioch and an eight hour standoff ensued. It ended with the unidentified woman and another man, who ended up not being involved, being taken into custody.
It was determined that Huff and Meyerin escaped prior to the police standoff in Antioch and were the two subsequently involved in the Gurnee incident. Huff is due in court on May 25.