Investigators announced charges against a man accused of possessing and hiding the gun used in the shooting of a 21-year-old man who died after being shot multiple times at a Mundelein shopping center.
The Mundelein Police Department responded around 7:10 p.m. Monday to the Lake Plaza shopping center in the 700 block of South Lake Street for a report of shots fired.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeffrey Facklam said a pool of blood was found in the parking lot of Jay’s Liquor but no victims were located.
Lake County Major Crime Task Force Spokesman Christopher Covelli said officers learned a man had been shot while on foot.
The man was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville in a privately owned vehicle, Covelli said.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the victim on Tuesday as Luis Moreno, 21, of Wheeling.
Moreno died from his injuries despite hospital staff’s efforts to save him, Covelli said.
An autopsy performed Tuesday showed Moreno suffered from multiple gunshot wounds.
The person or persons who transported Moreno to the hospital left prior to the arrival of officers, Covelli said.
The Lake County Major Crime Task Force was called to the scene to assist Mundelein police detectives with the investigation.
A heavy police presence was seen for hours around the eastern side of the shopping complex near Jay’s Liquors, ACTION Martial Arts and Supermercado Gisselle.
Crime scene tape was set up in the parking lot and officers were photographing the scene and going in and out of the businesses.
Investigators believe the shooting was possibly targeted, Covelli said, adding that it is believed to have been perpetrated by a single gunman who was in a vehicle.
Covelli said in an update on Wednesday that Joaquin Romero, 20, of Mundelein, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and obstructing justice, both Class 4 felonies.
Investigators determined Romero possessed the gun used in the homicide and hid it, Covelli said.
Romero was located on Tuesday and arrested without incident in Round Lake.
Facklam said two vehicles, a tan Acura and a dark-colored Infiniti, were involved in the incident.
Police later conducted a traffic stop on the Acura and spoke to the driver who admitted he was present in the parking lot with Romero and a friend.
The driver told police there was an interaction with the occupants of the Infiniti and at least one of them was armed with a firearm, Facklam said.
The driver said that while he was seated in the car, shots rang out from the backseat and Romero was in the backseat.
Police tracked down the third person in the Acura and he also gave a similar account of the incident, Facklam said.
Evidence was found that indicated at least one shot was fired from the backseat of the Acura.
Police also interviewed another person who indicated he saw Romero after the shooting and that Romero had possession of a gun, Facklam said.
Facklam said Romero later no longer had the gun and told multiple people he got rid of the firearm.
Romero does not have a Firearm Owner’s Identification card (FOID) or concealed carry license.
Covelli said Major Crime Task Force investigators and Mundelein police detectives continue to actively investigate the homicide.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Romero pending trial.
Lake County Judge Ruth Lofthouse ordered Romero held pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.