Two alleged gunmen have been charged with firing nearly 20 shots at an occupied bar after they were kicked out of the business, prompting an hours-long police manhunt on the border of Highwood and Lake Forest.
Aaron L. Rosales, 24, of Highwood, and Jose A. Castrejon-Mancilla, 24, of Highland Park, were both charged with two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, a class 1 felony, and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, a Class 4 felony.
The Highwood Police Department responded around 3 a.m. on June 7 to Santi’s, 324 Green Bay Road in Highwood, for a report of shots fired.
Highwood Police Chief Dave Wentz said a bar fight occurred and two males, later identified as Castrejon-Mancilla and Rosales, retrieved firearms and started shooting.
Multiple bullet holes were found in a Jeep and a couple of bullet holes were found in the building.
Approximately 18 shell casings were recovered at the scene, Wentz said. No injuries were reported.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said the shell casings littered the middle of Green Bay Road. “Thankfully no one in the bar, on the street, or in the apartment were injured.”
Video surveillance showed Rosales and Castrejon-Mancilla inside the bar when an altercation started and they were asked to leave, McConnell said.
Rosales reportedly got into his car, a blue Ford Explorer, and picked up his friend Castrejon-Mancilla in front of the bar.
The Ford reversed and struck a blue Jeep parked in front of the bar and drove southbound before making a U-turn and coming back in front of the bar, McConnell said.
Rosales and Castrejon-Mancilla then began shooting in the direction of two specific victims and the tavern, which was occupied by approximately 20 people at the time, McConnell said.
Video footage showed one of the two victims ducking behind an alley for cover while the second victim hid behind the Jeep.
The suspects fled but crashed in the construction zone near Old Elm Road and Sheridan Road on the border of Lake Forest and Highwood.
Rosales called 911 to report he had been involved in a crash and remained at the scene, Wentz said. The Lake Forest Police Department notified the Highwood Police Department.
Officers arrived and detained Rosales in connection with the shooting. Castrejon-Mancilla fled on foot from the vehicle, McConnell said.
While Rosales was taken into custody near the vehicle, a witness told police both men had fled on foot after the car initially became disabled.
Wentz said Castrejon-Mancilla was believed to have run down the train tracks near the Fort Sheridan Metra station along the Union Pacific North line. Trains were halted.
A large manhunt search began with drones and canine units being deployed.
The Highland Park Police Department, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Forest Police Department and Metra Police Department responded to assist.
Police conducted an exhaustive search effort that came to an end hours later around 8-9 a.m., Wentz said.
Castrejon-Mancilla was not located but Lake County Sheriff’s Office Canine Lux found two loaded handguns hidden beneath a tree.
The sheriff’s office said Lux tracked the fleeing suspect’s path for a significant distance.
“The recovery of those firearms was a significant development in the investigation. Had they not been found, they could have remained accessible to the offender or fallen into the wrong hands,” the sheriff’s office said.
McConnell said Rosales admitted to being the driver of the car and a gunshot residue test came back positive but he was initially released from custody without charges pending further investigation.
Castrejon-Mancilla was recognized in surveillance video by officers after they took a report from him later in June where he reported that his gun was stolen from his vehicle, the day after it had been involved in a shooting where two juveniles were arrested for using it.
Castrejon-Mancilla is a self-admitted member of the Latin Kings street gang and is on pre-trial release for driving while license suspended, McConnell said.
Rosales has previously been charged with battery and aggravated assault, along with manufacturing or delivering cannabis at school.
“It is clear based on both of these Defendant’s actions in shooting up a bar where multiple patrons were present in the building and two victims were outside and had to duck for cover that the release of either Defendant would pose a real and present threat to the safety of the community and there are no conditions that can mitigate that threat,” McConnell said.
Rosales and Castrejon-Mancilla were charged early last month and arrest warrants were issued for them.
Rosales was taken into custody and remains held in the Lake County Jail after Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted a petition to detain filed by the state’s attorney’s office. Castrejon-Mancilla remains wanted.
Rosales is scheduled to appear in court again on August 19 for a preliminary hearing.