Lake County Gazette

Two men are in custody following a drive-by shooting in Beach Park, Illinois, early Sunday morning that left two women injured. The victims are expected to survive.

According to a Lake County Sheriff's Office news release, deputies responded at 2 a.m. on January 5 to the area near Green Bay Road and Bonnie Brook Lane after receiving reports of a vehicle crash and shooting. 

Deputies discovered a vehicle in a ditch with significant damage. Two adult female passengers had sustained gunshot wounds; one was shot in the eye and the other in the leg. A deputy applied a tourniquet to the woman's leg before both victims were transported to local hospitals.

The victims had reportedly left a bar in North Chicago and were driving home when a grey Dodge pulled alongside their vehicle, with its occupants opening fire. Several spent shell casings were recovered from the scene.

A Waukegan Police officer spotted a grey Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat matching the suspect vehicle's description approximately 30 minutes after Lake County Sheriff's dispatchers issued a regional alert. The driver fled at high speed, evading officers attempting to conduct a traffic stop. At 2:41 a.m., another deputy located the suspect traveling southbound on Route 41 near Route 173 but was unable to stop it as it fled again at high speed.

A Zion Police officer deployed a tire deflation device as part of efforts to apprehend the suspects. The Dodge eventually crashed into a wooded area near Route 173 and Joana Avenue in Zion. Law enforcement established a perimeter as the occupants fled on foot. Police canines and drones were used for locating the suspects. 

Authorities apprehended two males—a juvenile and an adult—in the vicinity. A rifle and pistol were recovered from inside the Dodge, while an additional pistol was found in a nearby backyard.

The sheriff's office said that they believe the Dodge was stolen from Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. The investigation into this incident is ongoing. Lake County Sheriff's detectives have not yet presented the case to the State's Attorney's Office for potential charges.