Prosecutors say a gunman, who was captured by police and the FBI last week, shot another man twice during a “minor argument” after believing the victim went through his bag in Grayslake.
Elo Owolide, 28, of Evanston, was charged with one count of aggravated battery by discharge of a firearm, a Class X felony.
The charges stem from a shooting that the Grayslake Police Department and Grayslake Fire Protection District responded to around 6:19 p.m. on January 30 in the 500 block of Lincoln Avenue in Grayslake.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeffrey Facklam said officers found a blood trail up the driveway that led to the door of the house and found the victim wounded inside.
Emergency crews found the man in his 30s shot in his hip and hand, Grayslake Battalion Fire Chief Jason Brooks said.
The man was conscious and was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville in stable condition, Brooks said. No other injuries were reported.
Grayslake Chief Jeff Myhra said that the shooting occurred after an argument ensued between two individuals at the residence.
Facklam said a number of people were at the residence when the victim and Owolide got into an argument over Owolide’s bag.
The two went outside and continued arguing. Facklam said Owolide went to his Jeep Cherokee and retrieved a handgun.
Myhra said several shots were fired by Owolide and the 31-year-old victim, who is from Chicago, was struck twice.
The victim’s injuries were not life-threatening, Myhra said, adding that Owolide fled the scene before police arrived.
Facklam said Owolide got in his car and drove off but returned to the scene and his girlfriend gave him his bag before he left the scene again.
Shell casings were marked as evidence at the front of the house near the sidewalk and street. A bicycle was also seen lying down on its side by the front door of the home.
At least one bullet struck the back windshield of an SUV parked in the driveway.
Officers were seen canvassing the area and attempting to obtain surveillance video of the shooting from neighbors. They were also processing evidence from inside the house.
Facklam said surveillance video from a neighbor contained audio of two people arguing when a car matching the description of Owolide’s Jeep was seen leaving the area of the house by driving down the street.
Owolide was identified as the gunman by the victim in a photo lineup.
“The motive for the shooting appears to be due to a minor, verbal argument because the defendant thought someone had gone through his bag,” Facklam said, noting that Owolide was additionally not legally allowed to possess a gun.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said that there was no allegation that anything was even stolen from the bag but Owolide was upset after it had been moved.
The Grayslake Police Department announced last week that it and the FBI worked together to make an arrest in the case after a warrant was issued for Owolide on February 4.
Police detectives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force arrested Owolide on Wednesday on the outstanding warrant.
Facklam said investigators also learned that there was an incident involving Owolide and his ex-wife in Evanston in August 2023.
His ex-wife reported to officers at that time that she noticed her firearm was missing from a locked safe in her house in Des Plaines.
Only she and Owolide knew the combination to the safe and she noticed the firearm missing after she went out with a friend in Evanston, Facklam said.
Owolide came to her location and approached her car where he knocked on the window of the car with a gun, Facklam said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Owolide pending trial, arguing he poses a danger to the community, following his arrest.
A detention hearing was held on Friday afternoon in front of Lake County Judge James Simonian, who granted the request to detain Owolide.
Owolide remains held in the Lake County Jail and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 5.