WAUCONDA – Lake County Sheriff’s deputies arrested four people in connection with recklessly firing firearms in two separate instances July 3.
About 2:20 p.m., sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence in the 28700 block of North Madison Avenue in unincorporated Wauconda for a report of shots fired, according to a news release. A man reported he was outside on the back porch with his wife when a bullet almost struck him in the head. The bullet struck a sliding glass door to his home, shattering the glass.
Based on the trajectory of the bullet, sheriff’s deputies checked an area to the west. They found a vacant property in the 28200 block of Garland Drive in unincorporated Wauconda, where they saw eight pistols and a rifle on a table in a grassy area on the property, according to the release.
Three individuals had been shooting the guns toward the east toward the back of the property and one of the rounds they fired was the round that almost struck the victim, according to the release.
Charges of reckless discharge of a firearm, a Class 4 felony, were filed against Omar Macias, 28, of the 1400 block of Jenkinson Avenue, Waukegan; Martin D. Hernandez, 30, of the 1300 block of Cherokee Drive, Round Lake Beach; and Joseph Rodriguez, 33, of the 1600 block of Round Lake Drive, Round Lake.
Evidence of alcohol consumption was found at the scene, according to the release. The vacant property is owned by an employer of one of the three arrested. Further investigation is being conducted to see if they had permission to be at the property, according to the release.
Later in the day, about 10 p.m., sheriff’s deputies responded to a dock in the 19300 block of West Forest Lane in unincorporated Mundelein for a report of shots fired. A 911 caller said a woman was shooting toward an occupied boat on Diamond Lake from the dock, according to the release.
Police determined a man and five passengers on his boat were on Diamond Lake. A woman, later identified as Kristy A. Shibli, 46, of the 19200 block of West Fairview Drive in unincorporated Mundelein shot several rounds toward the boat. Nobody was struck by the gunfire.
It was determined that Shibli was firing into the lake for fun. It appears she believed the sound of fireworks being set off in the area would mask the sound of her gunfire, police said.
Shibli was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, a Class 4 felony.
All of the firearms in these cases were seized and notification is being made to the Illinois State Police about the incidents. The State Police will make a determination about the FOID Card/CCL status of those involved in the incidents.