Two women were shot and injured while driving in north suburban Lake County, prompting multiple police chases of the suspected shooters early Sunday morning.
Around 2 a.m., Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of Green Bay Road and Bonnie Brook Lane in Beach Park on a report of a car crash and shooting, according to police.
Deputies discovered a car in a ditch with extensive damage and two women inside who had been shot.
One woman was shot in the eye, the other in the leg. A deputy placed a tourniquet around the woman’s leg. Both women were taken to a local hospital and are expected to survive.
Investigators discovered that the victims had left a bar in North Chicago and were driving home on Green Bay Road when a gray Dodge pulled up alongside them.
The occupants of the Dodge opened fire on the victims’ car. Several shell casings were discovered at the scene.
Search for gunmen
Deputies issued a regional broadcast with information about the suspect vehicle. About 30 minutes later, a Waukegan police officer spotted a gray Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat that matched the suspect vehicle description.
Officers attempted to stop the car on Sunset Avenue, but the driver sped away and avoided arrest.
Around 2:41 a.m., a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy discovered the suspect vehicle on Route 41 southbound near Route 173. The deputy attempted to stop the car again, but the driver sped away.
The deputy pursued the car, which made a U-turn on Sterns School Road and continued northbound on Route 41. The suspect car sped away from police once more.
A short time later, the driver avoided another sheriff’s deputy on Route 173.
However, a Zion police officer used a tire deflation device, which the suspect car struck. Despite this, the suspect car evaded police again before colliding with a heavily wooded area near Route 173 and Joana Avenue in Zion.
Police located the suspect vehicle and arrested two people, a man and a boy, in the area. A rifle and pistol were found in the Dodge, and another pistol was discovered in a backyard near where one of the suspects was apprehended.
Police believe the Dodge was stolen from Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, but the investigation is still ongoing.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the incident. Police had not yet filed charges with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office as of Sunday morning.
