Police announced the arrests of two men found with guns amid an investigation into the murder of a father who was shot at the Metra station in Waukegan on the day of his daughter’s birthday.
Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Scott Chastain said the police department responded around 3:30 a.m. on July 7 to the Metra station, 95 North Spring Street.
Chastain said a call was received for a large crowd gathering in one of the city parking lots at the train station.
Minutes later, additional 911 calls were received for reports of shots being fired.
Officers arrived and found numerous vehicles leaving the parking lots at the train station.
Officers found a male victim who had been shot in the parking lot, Chastain said.
The male victim, later identified as Xzavier Booker, 36, of Zion, suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his body, including his chest and neck.
Officers performed lifesaving measures but Booker was pronounced dead at the scene.
Breana Wesley, who is Booker’s girlfriend and mother to his young daughter, said her boyfriend’s life was “senselessly taken away.”
“Xzavier was known to be caring, loving, and family oriented. Xzavier loved producing music, singing songs, roller skating every Sunday and riding his bike,” Wesley said.
“The love and impact he leaves in our lives will forever be memorized. Xzavier was loved and cherished by a lot of friends and family who loved him dearly,” she added.
A second victim, a 22-year-old Zion man, was shot in the right arm. He was transported to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan from the scene by car and was treated and released, Chastain said.
The Waukegan Police Department Major Crime Scene Unit (MCSU) was called to process the scene.
Numerous casings were located as well as other items of evidence.
The Waukegan Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division and Community Crimes Division were called to investigate the homicide.
Chastain said Monday that detectives identified a vehicle and persons of interest in the case. They apprehended two persons of interest.
Alan Green, 34, of North Chicago, was arrested in the 2400 block of Dunlay Court in North Chicago.
Green was found in possession of a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, Chastain said.
He was also allegedly in possession of numerous drugs, including 13 grams of suspected heroin, seven grams of suspected crushed ecstasy and 6.5 grams of suspected crack cocaine.
Green was charged with armed habitual criminal, armed violence, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
The second person of interest, Keyonda Triplett, 30, of Waukegan, was spotted driving the suspect vehicle in the murder, prosecutors said.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle near Hunt Club Road and Route 120 on the border of Gages Lake and Gurnee.
Triplett fled from officers and a pursuit ensued, prosecutors said. Triplett later fled on foot from the car after it crashed into a tree in a Gurnee neighborhood.
A canine search was conducted and officers located and arrested Triplett, prosecutors said. He was found with his young son, who was in the car during the chase.
A defaced black 9mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine was found in Triplett’s flight path.
Triplett admitted he possessed the gun and tossed it when fleeing, prosecutors said.
Triplett was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, defaced firearm and armed violence.
He also had an arrest warrant from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for failure to appear on a prior aggravated unlawful use of a weapon case.
Chastain said detectives continue investigating the murder of Booker. Additional charges are expected against both suspects.
“Unfortunately he was at the wrong place wrong time, and now here we are,” Booker’s girlfriend said.
Jynniah Harris, who is Booker’s sister-in-law, said her brother-in-law’s life was “stripped away from many people” who love him.
Harris called Booker an “amazing father” to his three children and said he had a niche for music.
“He loved playing the piano with his daughter and writing songs with and for my sister. His need for speed on his bike was impeccable – he loved the thrill riding with his biker crew,” Harris said.
“Lastly he was a smooth skating machine, every Sunday you’d find him at the skating rink grooving to the sounds of the beat! He was so humble and an all around good man,” she added.
Harris said Booker’s life was “taken away with no regard, murdered,” leaving behind a grieving family.
Booker was killed on the day of his oldest daughter’s birthday, Wesley said.
A GoFundMe account was created by the family to help raise money for their unexpected expenses.