A man was found hiding from police inside a random bystander’s vehicle after he allegedly opened fire at a victim following an armed robbery in Gurnee.
Gavino Romero Jr., 19, of Chicago, was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury on charges of armed robbery with the discharge of a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm, reckless discharge of a firearm, four counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, resisting a peace officer and criminal trespass to vehicle.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said during a detention hearing that the Gurnee Police Department responded on March 11 to a call of a shooting and armed robbery.
A male victim told officers he connected with Romero on Instagram and he planned to sell Romero a phone.
Messages between the two later revealed the victim was attempting to sell Xanax pills to Romero, Katris said.
The victim gave Romero his address and the two met up at the residence in the 800 block of Tralee Court in Gurnee.
Both men were outside smoking when Romero pulled out a gun and asked the victim if he wanted to buy the gun, Katris said.
Katris said the two later went into the house where Romero pulled out the gun and pointed it at the victim while demanding cash, drugs and other belongings.
Romero racked the gun at one point and took a backpack with cannabis, in addition to a small amount of cash, Katris said. Romero also forced the victim to send him $30 through CashApp, Katris said.
Katris said the two began struggling over the gun and the victim elbowed Romero, at which point a round was discharged from the gun.
No one was struck by the shot but the victim suffered a bruise from being struck by the gun during the struggle.
Katris said Romero fled the scene and the victim pursued the suspect toward the Community Thrift Store, 3440 Grand Avenue.
Romero turned toward the victim and fired approximately seven shots, Katris said. The victim was not struck because he crouched down.
A man who was outside of his car parked in a stall at Nice N Clean Car Wash, 760 Magnolia Avenue in Gurnee, saw Romero approach and crawl into the backseat of his car as officers chased after him.
The man feared Romero had a weapon and Romero motioned for the man to keep quiet, Katris said.
As officers approached, the car owner yelled out and directed officers to Romero. Officers recovered a gun, cannabis and cash.
Romero admitted to officers he ditched everything when officers chased him, Katris said.
The suspect asked officers several times if they had found the gun yet.
Romero, who is a self-admitted gang member, bragged that he would have gotten away from the officers if he had stayed in his original hiding spot because he had someone on the way to pick him up, Katris said.
Romero pleaded guilty last year to a gun charge and then a short time later was arrested again in Chicago on a new gun charge, only to be released and then arrested again for the Gurnee robbery and shooting.
Katris said pre-trial release has been tried and “miserably failed” as he argued for Romero to be detained pending trial.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak granted a petition to detain Romero during a detention hearing last month.