Prosecutors say a gunman armed with a rifle shot and critically wounded a victim at Frank’s Lounge in North Chicago before a bystander returned fire, striking the suspect, who then fled the scene.
Walter J. Brown, 28, of Waukegan, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, a Class X felony, and aggravated battery by discharge of a firearm, a Class X felony.
The charges stem from a shooting that occurred at Frank’s Lounge, 2234 Green Bay Road, for a report of a shooting.
Officers arrived and found a 27-year-old man who had been shot in the chest, police officials said.
Officers began lifesaving measures before the North Chicago Fire Department arrived and took over care.
An ambulance transported the victim to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. Police officials said the victim was in critical condition.
A major police response was brought to the scene, including the Wheeling Police Department, Illinois State Police and Lake County Sheriff’s Office — among many others — to help manage the chaotic crowd following the shooting.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeffrey Facklam said officers began speaking to witnesses and collecting surveillance videos.
A witness told officers that Brown was the person responsible. There were cameras that faced the parking lot and captured the incident.
The cameras showed Brown wearing a white t-shirt in the parking lot of Frank’s Lounge, Facklam said.
Brown was seen walking over to his parked car several minutes before the shooting and putting on a black shirt over his white shirt.
Facklam said the victim and another person exited the lounge and walked away from Brown while he was at his car.
Brown began walking in their direction while wearing a face mask and holding a rifle, Facklam said.
Video showed Brown lifting the rifle and shooting in the direction of the victim, leaving him shot in the chest and collapsing on the ground, Facklam said.
The victim had a gun in his possession and it dropped on the ground after he was shot.
The person who was with the victim ran over, picked up the gun and shot in the direction of Brown.
Facklam said Brown ducked behind his car and entered the vehicle on the passenger side before driving away on Green Bay Road.
Brown then crashed his car on Green Bay Road in Waukegan and fled on foot, Facklam said.
Officers arrived and found blood in the car and around the car. They recovered a rifle near the car.
Officers later learned Brown was admitted to a hospital in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, with a gunshot wound.
Investigators learned that an incident had occurred a few months prior to the shooting involving Brown and the victim where the victim had punched Brown.
“The defendant’s actions of changing his clothes, retrieving a rifle from his car and walking towards the victim as the victim was leaving the lounge indicate that the defendant was targeting the victim, possibly in retaliation for the earlier incident,” Facklam said.
Prosecutors argued that Brown poses a real and present threat to the victim, witnesses and members of the community and also poses a willful flight risk.
“The defendant fired a rifle in a parking lot with numerous people. He appears to have been specifically targeting one individual, but his actions put everyone else in danger,” Facklam said.
“Although the victim also possessed a gun, the defendant was the aggressor. He went to his car, changed clothes, put on a mask, and waited for the victim to exit the lounge. The victim was walking away from the defendant through the parking lot, and it was the defendant who walked towards the victim armed with a rifle,” Facklam said.
Brown had a failure to appear warrant for two pending felonies in Lake County at the time of the incident. He is charged with burglary, looting, identity theft, theft and unlawful use of a credit card in those two cases and the warrant was issued in 2023.
Brown also has prior convictions for domestic battery, violation of an order of protection, battery, felony theft and felony fleeing and eluding.
Brown additionally has a pending misdemeanor case in Wisconsin for charges of obstructing an officer, criminal trespass to dwelling and possession of THC.
Brown was released from the hospital and was being held in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Jail.
He waived the extradition process and was then transferred back to Lake County on Tuesday.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted a petition filed by prosecutors to detain Brown pending trial following a detention hearing on Thursday.
The judge said it appeared the shooting was pre-planned and it happened in a crowded parking lot.
Brown remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on September 4 for a preliminary hearing.