A gunman allegedly struck a teen girl in the head with a gun before later firing shots in Mundelein and saying that he would have shot her if the gun had not jammed, prosecutors said.
Kevin J. Jimenez, 18, of Mundelein, was charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm while ineligible, five counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, reckless discharge of a firearm and two counts of domestic battery.
Nick Ghezavat of the Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney’s Office said a 17-year-old girl reported Jimenez, who is her ex-boyfriend, came to her home in Mundelein on March 15.
He shone a flashlight into her bedroom to get her attention and the victim went outside and saw Jimenez holding a gun, Ghezavat said.
Jimenez accused the girl of cheating on him and struck her in the back of the head with the firearm, Ghezavat said.
The victim suffered bruising and swelling behind her ear consistent with being struck in the head.
Ghezavat said Jimenez returned to the girl’s home on March 16 and again shone a flashlight to get the victim’s attention.
The girl saw Jimenez holding a gun and then heard a gunshot followed by a second gunshot.
Ghezavat said Jimenez pointed the gun at the victim and threatened to shoot her.
Jimenez reportedly said words to the effect that he was trying to shoot her but the gun jammed, according to prosecutors.
Jimenez is under the age of 21 and does not have a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification card or concealed carry license to possess a gun.
A search warrant was conducted at his residence on March 20 and officers recovered a Glock 9mm handgun, multiple magazines, including a drum magazine, and a laser light attachment, Ghezavat said.
A 9mm shell casing was recovered from outside of the victim’s bedroom window and the girl identified the recovered firearm and attachments as what Jimenez had possessed.
Ghezavat said Jimenez told police he had been texting the victim leading up to the incident.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jonathan Moy said Jimenez has pending juvenile charges for gun offenses. A court public safety assessment found that Jimenez is believed to be a Latin King gang member.
Jimenez also has a pending domestic battery case in adult court involving the same victim stemming from an incident in December where he showed up at her school and struck her in the face, Ghezavat said.
An arrest warrant was issued for him and was active at the time of his recent arrest in the shooting.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed petitions to detain Jimenez in both cases following his arrest and Lake County Judge Ari Fisz granted both following a detention hearing, calling the defendant’s actions “brazen.”
Jimenez remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on June 16.