Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies and Newport Township firefighter/paramedics responded about 7:20 PM Thursday to a report of shots fired in the block of 15200 West Wadsworth Road Wadsworth, IL. Deputies discovered that three individuals were injured. A 22 year-old woman had been shot with a firearm, a 25 year-old man and 21-year old woman had been struck in the face with a blunt force object. Newport Township firefighter/paramedics staged nearby until the scene was secured. The shooting was less than a block from Newport Township fire station.
Lake County Sheriff’s Detectives and the Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force responded to the scene and began a prompt investigation. Preliminary investigation shows a prior verbal argument occurred between the 21-year-old woman and Paige R. Bothern, 22, of the 2700 block of 31st Street, Zion.
Paige Bothern, along with Christopher P. Keough, 20, of the 700 block of Whitney Avenue, Winthrop Harbor, Milton K. Stricklin, 22, of the 1300 block of Chestnut Street, Waukegan, and Veronica H. Diehn, 22, of the 2400 block of Ezekiel Avenue, Zion, all drove to the location of the victims (15200 block of West Wadsworth Road). When the four arrived, they began a physical altercation with the victims.
During the physical altercation, Milton Stricklin produced a handgun and used the handgun to batter the victims about their faces and bodies. Stricklin then discharged the firearm several times, striking both the apartment and 22 year-old woman. The four then fled the scene in a vehicle.
The 22-year-old woman who was shot was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The other injured woman and injured man refused medical treatment.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Emergency Communications Center broadcasted the description of the offenders and their vehicle to all local police agencies. A short time later, Zion Police Officers located all four offenders and their vehicle in the 2300 block of Ravine Drive, Zion. All four offenders were taken into custody and transported to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division.
Stricklin was charged with Aggravated Battery with a Firearm (Class X Felony), Aggravated Discharge with a Firearm (Class 1 Felony), and Aggravated Battery Causing Great Bodily Harm (Class 3 Felony), and Mob Action (Class 4 Felony).
The four will appear in Bond Court in the afternoon on April 29, 2016.
Sheriff Curran reminds the public that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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