Police say they continue to follow up on leads in the slaying of Taiveyon “Tai” Victorian, a 20-year-old from Zion who was shot at a house party in Round Lake Park last weekend.
On Thursday, police and multiple fire department divers were searching Round Lake with metal detectors and sonar after a witness said they saw someone running down to the beach the night of the shooting, which also left three people wounded, including two in serious condition, Police Chief George Filenko said.
“We have a witness who said they saw someone go down to the lakeshore that night, so we are searching the water and the beach,” he said. The area is just down the street from the site of the shooting and across from Village Hall.
“We’re following up on every single lead we get,” he said.
On Saturday, friends and family will remember Taiveyon Marquese Victorian as a leader when he was on his high school football team and someone with a great smile.
“He graduated in 2017, and he was well liked by the student body and staff,” said Dr. Chris Clark, superintendent of Zion Benton Township High School District 126.
“It hit the school body and staff very hard. We have crisis teams available for anyone who needs it,” Clark said. “He is remembered as an extremely hard worker as a football player who carried that into the off-season. He was a leader on the team.”
Clark added that while “football was his thing,” Victorian also played basketball.
On Oct. 12, 2016, a Lake County News-Sun story described him as the leader at that time for the Zee-Bees with 20 receptions as a wide receiver. He had 268 receiving yards and one touchdown at that point.
“I love that pressure,” Victorian said. “It makes me feel like I have the team on my back, so when I do succeed, everybody is happy.”
Discussing a game against Lake Forest, Victorian said, “I was just doing what I could. … Catch the ball and get what you can get.”
Zion-Benton coach Bob Moynihan said in the article that the 5-foot-7, 185-pound senior was too good to have on the sideline.
“He fights so hard for extra yardage,” Moynihan said. “He’s not going to go down with one hand.
“He’s been a solid slot receiver for us,” Moynihan added of Victorian, who made the switch from running back to receiver his sophomore year. “He brings a lot of different things to the plate. He’s very dangerous once he gets the ball. We had to get him on the field somewhere.”
Victorian went on to play at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minn., where school officials said he attended from fall of 2017 through summer of 2018.
Victorian was employed at the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Kenosha, according to his obituary. He was born to parents Lakeisha Renee Victorian and Robert Jones II and he had 11 brothers and sisters from both sides, according to the family.
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Known as “Tai,” he was active in the youth ministry, according to the obituary.
“Tai’s love for sports started at the age of six where his passion was football. He had an insatiable smile, and had warm embraces that blessed those around him. He had a true love for his family,” the obituary added.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Tolar-Westgate Funerals & Cremations. Visitation is from 10-11 a.m. Saturday at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 409 Wainlow Ave. in Waukegan, followed by a service from 11 a.m. until noon. Burial will be at North Shore Garden of Memories, 1801 Green Bay Road in North Chicago.
“He is very loved and will be deeply missed. He was a charmer and had the biggest smile. He was always cracking a joke and was very lighthearted,” said family friend Tiffany Garcia. “My sons are devastated. They played flag football since they were 5 with him.”