15-year-old shot in Palatine has died
PALATINE, Ill. (CBS) -- A 15-year-old boy who was left in critical condition in a shooting in Palatine lastThursday morning has died a week later.
A 14-year-old was arrested earlier in the week and is facing multiple charges, including attempted murder. Police are now searching for 18-year-old Jesus Pantoja who they believe is armed and dangerous.
It happened in the middle of a residential neighborhood. As CBS 2's Tara Molina reported, Palatine police stayed in that neighborhood for most of the day – but no one was in custody Thursday afternoon, as the 15-year-old remained in the hospital.
According to police, officers first responded to calls of shots fired in the 1700 block of East Clear Creek Bay just before 5:20 a.m. The officers found shell casings, but no victims.
But at 5:26 a.m., police responded to the 1200 block of Long Valley Dr. and found the 15-year-old victim with gunshot wounds to his upper body.
The Palatine Fire Department rushed the boy to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.
Late Thursday, Palatine police were are asking anyone with information on this shooting to come forward and reach them.
Neighbors weren't comfortable showing their faces on camera, but one told us he thought the shots were fireworks.
"I hear a lot of shots all together, and then I hear somebody screaming - a lady, like a woman screaming," another neighbor said, "and after that I heard more shots – about two or three more shots - and then silence."
Another neighbor said he thought he saw a car connected to the shooting.
"When I get out from the door, I saw a car speeding - going this way - and even went up the curb," a neighbor said. "I thought it was just crazy guys. You know, I didn't think much of it. If I knew it was gunshots, then I would've taken a closer look at their faces."
He said the driver of the car was driving erratically.
The man also told us this was not the first shooting in the area. Seven years ago, he had a bullet come through his living room – and the window still marks the spot.
No one was hurt in that shooting. The man said the shooter was never caught.
As to the shooting that wounded the teen on Thursday, we did check in with school officials. We are told the victim of the shooting did not attend Palatine High School and had no affiliation to Township High School District 211.
