Gurnee police have made an arrest in the April 3 shooting of a 17-year-old.
Semaj K. Wilcox, 18, of Gurnee, turned himself in to police after a warrant was issued in conjunction with the shooting, authorities said.
He was charged with aggravated battery with a firearm. Wilcox was ordered to be detained in the Lake County jail following a hearing on Wednesday, according to court files.
“This case progressed quickly due to the focused efforts of our investigators and the strong partnership with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office,” Police Chief Jeremy Gaughan said. “With the offender in custody, this marks a significant step in the investigation and reflects the thorough and persistent work of our detectives. We remain committed to ensuring accountability through the judicial process.”
Police responded on April 3 at 5:07 p.m. to an area near Brookhaven Road and Wellington Circle for a report of a shooting and found the victim with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Wilcox is due back in court on May 14.
Confrontation resolved
Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg gave credit this month to his officers and dispatchers for resolving a confrontation with an armed man without the use of deadly force.
Police were dispatched on April 16 to the 2360 block of North Elmwood near Mundelein after receiving a call for service. Dispatchers at the 911 center heard a voice on the line saying that he would stab first responders.
Arriving officers heard screaming coming from inside the house and a man saying he would kill any officer who entered.
Officers used techniques to de-escalate the situation, but the man came outside with a knife. Officers were able to disable him with a Taser. He was brought to a hospital for treatment.
Authorities learned that the man had been having mental health issues and had told people that he was attempting to get police to use deadly force against him.
“Faced with an armed individual making violent threats and advancing toward them, our deputies used restraint and sound judgment to resolve this safely,” Idleburg said. “This outcome also reflects the investments we’ve made in crisis intervention training and programs like our Crisis Outreach and Support Team, which focus on safely resolving incidents involving individuals in mental distress.
“Because of their actions and our ongoing training, everyone went home without injury,” he added.
Gurnee burglaries
Gurnee police are investigating a series of burglaries to commercial buildings that took place in the early morning hours of April 14.
Police officers responded to the 3900 block of Washington Street to a business whose alarm had been activated. Officers discovered several buildings in the area with broken windows and found that five businesses in the immediate area had been victimized.
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In each incident, the burglars entered the business and took the cash registers. Police said multiple subjects were involved.
Anyone with information is asked to call the police at (847) 599-7000 or make an anonymous tip at Lake County CrimeStoppers.
Prison sentence
A Waukegan man was sentenced to 22 years in prison for shooting a clerk at a Dollar General Store in 2022.
Kaleb Brown, 23, had been found guilty in December of aggravated battery with a firearm.
Authorities said Brown shot the 19-year-old at the Grand Avenue store on Feb. 4, 2022, as the clerk tried to keep a suspected shoplifter from re-entering the business.
“This horrific shooting led to devastating injuries for the victim and deeply impacted the community,” State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said. “Our trial team made sure that this offender faced decades in prison. We will continue to hold offenders accountable after the crime while also supporting the victim for as long as they need it.”