A man was taken into custody after the sheriff’s office said he was found with two guns after firing multiple shots outside of a home occupied by small children in Beach Park Thursday evening.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 10:30 p.m. Thursday to a residence in the 12200 block of West 29th Street in Beach Park.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and learned Jesus Machuca-Barragan, 20, who resides at the residence, had been in an argument with his acquaintance, who also lives at the residence, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
Machuca-Barragan left the home just before sheriff’s deputies arrived.
Covelli said Machuca-Barragan, before driving away in a vehicle, fired a gun multiple times from the car.
“It is unclear why or where Machuca-Barragan was shooting, as no bullet holes were located,” Covelli said.
Lake County sheriff’s dispatchers issued an area-wide radio broadcast to inform local police agencies of the situation.
Machuca-Barragan’s description and a description of the vehicle he was driving were provided.
He was located a short time later by the Waukegan Police Department at a gas station in the area of Belvidere Road and Jackson Street in Waukegan.
Covelli said Machuca-Barragan was taken into custody by Waukegan police officers and found to be in possession of a pistol.
Sheriff’s deputies located a second pistol in Machuca-Barragan’s vehicle, along with five spent shell casings.
Small children were inside the home during the incident and the sheriff’s office notified the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services about the incident, Covelli said.
Machuca-Barragan was transported to the Lake County Jail and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges of three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and reckless discharge of a firearm.
He also had an active warrant for failing to appear in court for a driving under the influence case.
The state’s attorney’s office filed a petition to detain Machuca-Barragan in custody while awaiting trial.
Machuca-Barragan appeared in First Appearance Court on Friday morning and is set to appear for a detention hearing on Friday afternoon.