One Dead, Two Hurt In Attack Outside Gurnee Car Dealership
Updated 08/18/11 - 6:07 p.m.
GURNEE, Ill. (CBS) -- One man was killed and two others – including the suspected assailant – were hurt in an attack outside a car dealership in north suburban Gurnee on Thursday.
Police said that about 1:15 p.m., they received a 911 call about a possible shooting at the Anthony Auto Group car dealership at 7225 Grand Ave.
Upon arrival, police found two men had suffered wounds in a stabbing and another man was apparently struck by the vehicle the three were riding in, according to a news release from Gurnee police. There was no evidence of a gun involved.
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One man with a neck wound was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was pronounced dead. Another victim was in serious condition at Condell, police said.
As CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports, it all started inside a Jeep SUV on Grand Avenue about a block away from the dealership.
Sources said a fight broke out between three men in the Jeep and one of the men started stabbing the other two. One man, in fear for his life, jumped from the Jeep and then might have been run over by the vehicle.
Witnesses said blood from his injuries was clearly visible on the sidewalk next to the street.
The two men in the vehicle then continued to fight and one man stabbed the other man, who was driving, in the neck. The vehicle then went out of control and the two men jumped out after it crashed on the dealer's lawn.
The suspected stabber also was slightly injured during the struggle.
After the Jeep came to a stop, both of the men still inside then stumbled into the dealership, pleading for help.
One man claimed the other had a gun, but police said that was a lie and that they only found an edged weapon that was used in the fight.
"The man that was stabbed in the neck that was later pronounced dead came into the service area of the Anthony dealership," Gurnee Police Cmdr. Jay Patrick said. "The suspect, who we believe is the offender, followed him and was taken into custody."
Witnesses said a bloody knife was found in the grass next to the Jeep.
Workers at the dealership did their best to help the man who had been stabbed in the neck, including applying pressure to the wound, but despite their best efforts, he died.
Alex Estrada, a sales associate at Anthony Auto Group, said, "Somebody was running into the service department ... he was holding his neck while he was running, so ... he just laid on the ground and ... he was done."
The suspected stabber was arrested at the scene. The third man was being treated at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
The Lake County Major Crimes Task Force was investigating the incident, but officials have not said anything about a possible motive.
