Two Carpentersville men have been charged with shooting a 19-year-old store employee in the parking lot of the Spring Hill Mall, police said Friday.
Juan C. Garcia, 18, of the 1500 block of Northlake Parkway, and Oscar D. Jacobo, 18, of the 6000 block of Hampton Drive, are charged with attempted first-degree murder, armed violence and aggravated battery with a firearm, Carpentersville Police Cmdr. Tim Bosshart said.
Garcia and Jacobo are expected to appear for a bail hearing Saturday in Kane County Circuit Court.
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The victim, whose name was not released, was shot in the chest just after 6:30 p.m. Thursday outside Kohl’s department store. His condition was upgraded by Sherman Hospital in Elgin to fair from critical, a spokeswoman said.
The victim, an employee of Kohl’s, knew the two suspects, police said. Bosshart declined to give a motive for the shooting, though he said it was not random.
“It was more of a personal thing,” Bosshart said.
Mall officials beefed up security Friday and sought to reassure customers that the shopping center is safe.
“Additional public-safety personnel have been added,” said Amy Prew, a spokeswoman for the mall near the intersection of Illinois Highways 31 and 72. Most of the mall is in West Dundee, but a portion is in Carpentersville.
Mall security staff will be available to walk customers to their vehicles on request, said Prew.
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