A second man has been charged in connection to a shooting that left a 23-year-old man dead and another injured during an altercation at Stretch’s Sports Bar in Waukegan on Christmas Eve.
Victor Ramirez, 27, of Waukegan, was charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm in the direction of an occupied vehicle and two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
The shooting occurred early in the morning on December 24 at Stretch’s Sports Bar and Grill, 200 North Green Bay Road in Waukegan.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Emma Smoler said during a bond hearing that a physical altercation occurred at the bar’s front door between Anthony Pedroza, 23, and Robert Sudduth, 30.
Surveillance video showed Pedroza punching Sudduth as he reached into his coat, Smoler said.
Pedroza then left the front of the bar and entered Ramirez’s car.
Pedroza and Ramirez later returned to the front door, which is when Sudduth pushed and shot Pedroza, Smoler said.
Ramirez returned to his car and allegedly retrieved his gun.
He then shot at Sudduth’s car, which was occupied, Smoler said.
Waukegan police officers arrived and found Pedroza with a gunshot wound.
Officers began lifesaving measures on Pedroza.
Paramedics transported him to Vista Medical Center East where he died, Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Brian Mullen said.
An autopsy performed by the Lake County Coroner’s Office showed that Pedroza, who resides in Zion, died due to a gunshot wound to the chest.
A second victim in the shooting, a Waukegan man in his 20s, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
He transported himself to Vista Medical Center East before officers arrived, Mullen said.
Investigators took Sudduth into custody following the shooting.
Court records show Sudduth, who resides in Waukegan, was charged two days later with one count of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Sudduth’s bond was set at $2 million and he later appeared in court on Tuesday.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak set Ramirez’s bond at $1 million.
Both Ramirez and Sudduth remain held at the Lake County Jail.
Ramirez is scheduled to appear for a status of preliminary hearing on Friday morning and Sudduth is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on February 2.