A Zion man has been charged with murder in the July shooting death of a man near Ingleside, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
Kendrick Williams, 33, of the 2200 block of Hebron Avenue, was taken into custody Tuesday outside the sheriff’s office in Waukegan, police said. He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the death of Joshua Strong Jr., 30, of Ingleside.
Williams appeared in court Thursday and was ordered detained, according to court records.
Strong was fatally shot in the early morning hours of July 24, in the 25900 block of West Laneville Drive. Police arrived and took a man into custody who matched the description given of the shooter.
After police evacuated the residents of the house, they found Strong inside, dead of apparent gunshot wounds. In announcing the arrest, police did not ascribe any motive to the alleged murder.
“Since the night Joshua Strong lost his life, our detectives have worked diligently to piece together what happened and hold the person responsible accountable,” Sheriff John Idleburg said.
Jail re-accredited
The Lake County jail was recently re-accredited by the American Correctional Association, “reaffirming the facility’s commitment to professionalism, safety, accountability, and excellence in correctional operations,” the sheriff’s office said.
This is the sixth consecutive cycle that the ACA has certified the jail is meeting the association’s standards.
The recertification follows a June audit. During the audit, ACA personnel evaluated the jail on 400 standards for correctional operations, inmate support and security, and healthcare, among others.
“Corrections today is about much more than securely operating a jail,” Sheriff John Idleburg said. “Our staff are committed to providing meaningful opportunities that help individuals make positive changes while in custody.
“The success of our programming, combined with our commitment to nationally recognized best practices, strengthens public safety both inside our facility and throughout Lake County,” he said.
Child-safety checks
Waukegan police said they will be on the lookout throughout September for child-safety violations at key intersections around the city.
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Officers will be checking for seatbelt violations, child passenger safety, impaired driving and other violations at the following locations: Delany Road, Lewis Avenue, Green Bay Road, Sheridan Road, River Road, Sunset Avenue, Washington Street, Grand Avenue, Belvidere Road, O’Plaine Road, Golf Road, Southern Hills Drive.
“Traffic crashes are a leading cause of death for children, and a child’s best protection in a crash is to be buckled correctly in the right seat,” WPD said in a social media post.
Drug busts
A Lake County sheriff’s detective was among the law enforcement officers who seized 330 pounds of cocaine in a series of busts across northern Illinois this week, police said.
The Drug Enforcement Administration group based in Chicago seized the drugs and about $700,000 in cash during search warrants executed on Sept. 14-16. The drugs are believed to have been part of a transnational drug trafficking operation.
Two people were arrested and charged in Chicago, police said. The local detective, who is assigned to the DEA group, was among the lead investigating agents in the case, according to the sheriff’s office.
Phone scam
Waukegan police are warning of a phone scam involving people impersonating local police.
Residents should not give out personal information, or send money or make personal payments based on these calls, regardless of how legitimate they may sound, WPD said. The scammers are using technology to make it appear as if their calls are actually coming from police, the department said.
If you receive such a call, you should contact Waukegan police at (847) 360-9000.