A man has been charged with murder in the weekend death of a man shot while attending a birthday party in Ingleside.
Yurem Mejia-Gomez, 18, of the 300 block of Meadow Green Lane, Round Lake Beach, is facing two counts of first-degree murder and a firearms charge in the death of a 19-year-old Round Lake man. The victim’s identity has not yet been released.
The victim was hit by gunfire as he stood in the driveway of a house in the 35700 block of North Wilson Road in Ingleside at about 11:15 p.m. Friday.
Police said the man was attending a birthday party when an argument took place between two groups of people. The group that had been involved left the party, but police said they then got into a vehicle and fired at the residence as they drove by, striking the man in the driveway.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives said they developed information that led to Mejia-Gomez being implicated as the shooter.
Police said they learned that the weapon used may have been at a residence in Round Lake Beach. A police dog led officers to a car parked in the home’s driveway where a gun was recovered. Police said the ammunition in the gun was the same type from the shooting.
“Our patrol deputies, detectives, and explosive detection canine team worked tirelessly to identify and apprehend the person responsible for this senseless act of violence,” Sheriff John Idleburg said in a news release. “Their swift and thorough investigation demonstrates the dedication of our team to ensuring that those who harm others are held accountable as quickly as possible.”