A judge refused to release a convicted murderer who is charged with attempted murder after prosecutors say a witness identified him as the gunman who shot another man “with no regard for the safety” of others at the Scoop in Waukegan.
Willie J. White, 36, of Harvey, was charged earlier this week with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm, both Class X felonies.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeffery Facklam said officers were alerted to a shooting at Scoop Waukegan around 6:40 p.m. Saturday.
“The festival is crowded with people and police monitor the event. This did not stop the defendant from shooting someone in the middle of the festival,” Facklam said.
The shooting occurred in front of 20 South Genesee Street, near the intersection of Washington Street, in downtown Waukegan.
The Scoop Waukegan is an annual car show and festival and was taking place at the time.
Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Craig Neal said a man in his late 30s was found shot on the south side of the building next to a private parking lot.
The victim was reportedly shot once in his abdomen, Facklam said.
A police officer provided emergency care before paramedics arrived and transported him to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
Neal said Tuesday evening that the victim remained in stable condition in the hospital.
Investigators believe the victim had a “directed altercation” with another man, identified as White.
White shot the victim while the two were on foot at the festival, Neal said. No one else was involved.
Facklam said surveillance video was reviewed and a witness identified White as the person wearing that clothing based on an interaction that occurred 30 minutes before the shooting.
The video showed White and the victim in what appears to be a verbal argument just prior to the shooting, Facklam said.
“The defendant then pulls out a gun, raises his arm, and shoots the victim. The victim is only a few feet away from the defendant when he is shot,” the prosecutor said.
White was captured on video walking back to the parking lot where his car was parked, getting into it and driving away, Facklam said. Officers were able to identify the car as being registered to White.
“We want to assure the public this was an isolated incident,” Neal said.
He said that heavy law enforcement presence was already stationed at the festival and the scene was contained “immediately” by on-site first responders who secured the area, provided medical attention and ensured the safety of festival attendees.
Neal said the event was ordered to end early for the safety of the community and to allow police the ability to process the scene for evidence.
Officers were seen using their public announcement (PA) system to disperse crowds of people along South Genesee Street.
One family was upset that they had to move their taco dinner table away from the area.
The Waukegan Police Department Major Crime Scene Unit (MCSU) responded to the scene to gather evidence and the Lake County Sheriff’s SWAT Team assisted at the scene.
Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham said in a statement Sunday that thousands of families, friends and neighbors gathered to celebrate “one of the city’s greatest traditions.” This year’s event was the largest attended Scoop in the city’s history.
“I am disappointed that the community celebration was cut short by an isolated incident. My thoughts and prayers are with the individual who was injured and I wish them a full and speedy recovery. Let me be absolutely clear: this single, isolated act does not, and will not, define Scoop Waukegan,” Cunningham said.
Blood stains, some articles of clothing, and remnants of gauze and other medical supplies were seen on the ground next to one of the parked classic cars.
Waukegan police investigators obtained an arrest warrant for White on Tuesday and the Waukegan Police Department and Zion Police Department arrested White shortly before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
A firearm was located by investigators at the time of his arrest. Prosecutors said the gun was under the seat during a traffic stop in Beach Park.
He was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and four counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, in addition to the attempted murder case.
“I would like to commend the efforts of the Waukegan Police Department Staff in closing this investigation. This was a great job by all, from the Patrol Officers who rushed to ensure the safety of everyone, the Officer who was quick to rely on training and rendered lifesaving aid to the victim, Lake County Sheriffs Tactical Response Team in providing aid to secure the scene, and Investigators who worked tirelessly to hold the suspect responsible for his acts,” Neal said.
“I am grateful for the assistance of the Waukegan Fire and Rescue Staff. We also would like to thank our partners at the Lake County States Attorney’s Office for approving charges while taking into consideration the importance of this investigation to the community of Waukegan,” he added.
White appeared in First Appearance Court on Wednesday morning and then for a detention hearing on Wednesday afternoon.
“The defendant poses a real and present threat to the safety of the victim and the community. The defendant pulled a gun and fired in the middle of a crowded street festival. The defendant’s actions endangered numerous others and shows the defendant has no regard for the safety of the community. The defendant escalated what appeared to be a verbal argument with an extreme act of violence,” Facklam said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed petitions to detain White pending trial and Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the request.
In an unusual move, White, who is representing him, asked the judge to grant the petitions to detain and said he wished to be held in custody so that his trial would be held more quickly.
White is a convicted felon and has a prior conviction for second-degree murder. He fatally shot a man in the head on Christmas Eve in 2006 in Rockford during an argument and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2009 but was released in 2015.
Willie is additionally on probation in a prior criminal case in Lake County where he was charged with gun and drug offenses.
The mayor said he was thankful for the great investigative work by the Waukegan Police Department.
“This swift arrest is a direct result of the proactive safety preparations and the state-of-the-art technology deployed at major events, including mobile cameras and drones, which allowed officers to instantly identify, track, and safely apprehend the suspect,” Cunningham said.
Numerous witnesses told Lake & McHenry County Scanner that it was not immediately apparent that a gunshot rang out due to loud music and other ambient noise.
A woman said she initially thought it was a firework.
Another witness said people started to run away from the area after word quickly spread that someone had been shot.
“It was scary,” she said. “We just skedaddled out of there.”
The mayor said he would not allow this year’s Scoop Waukegan to be overshadowed or allow the spirit of the community to be diminished.
Sebastian, who said he was around 10 feet away from the gunshot and witnessed the immediate aftermath, told Lake & McHenry County Scanner that his ear hurt from the bang.
Sebastian could not see who shot the man because the area was crowded but did see the blood on the ground.
Waukegan 4th Ward Alderman Victor Felix, who represents downtown Waukegan, said that his “thoughts are with all those affected by the incident that occurred during the Scoop Waukegan event.”
“As Alderman of the 4th Ward, I am deeply saddened that an event intended to bring families together, support our local businesses, and celebrate the spirit of our community was impacted by an act of violence,” Felix said.
“Violence has no place in our community. We will continue working alongside our residents, community leaders, and public safety officials to strengthen security and preserve the spaces where our families can gather and enjoy themselves in peace,” Felix said.
White is scheduled to appear in court again on Monday for a status of discovery hearing.