North Chicago man charged with killing 14-year-old in what authorities believe was a gang-related shooting

A North Chicago man has been charged in the weekend shooting death of a 14-year-old boy, who police believe was specifically targeted.

Amireon C. Williams, 18, was ordered held in lieu of $3 million bail after a Tuesday hearing in Lake County Court. Williams has been charged with the first-degree murder of Lavon’ta Brown of North Chicago, who was shot to death late Sunday afternoon in the 1000 block of Jackson Street.

Prosecutors said Williams was among six people in a gold Chevrolet Malibu, who were parked at a Citgo gas station at around 5:15 p.m. when Brown and a friend approached the station on foot.

Security video showed that as the pair approached, back seat passengers in the Malibu rolled down their windows and began firing at them, reports said.

Brown, authorities said, pulled out a pistol and returned fire, before running away. He collapsed a short distance away near an alley with a gunshot wound to the chest, Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Lindsay Hicks told Judge Theodore Potkonjak.

Authorities said the car then drove off, but was involved a short time later in a parking lot crash at the Waukegan Home Depot on Belvidere Road.

Hicks said six people exited the vehicle and three, including Williams, were arrested inside the store.

Hicks said Williams was alleged to have been wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, which police recovered inside the bathroom at the home store. A 9 mm handgun was found beneath the rear passenger seat in the car, the prosecutor said.

Police said Brown was taken to a hospital, but subsequently died.

The shooting is believed to be gang-related, according to North Chicago police and the Lake County Major Crime Task Force. Authorities said Brown apparently was specifically targeted.

Prosecutors also said Williams was facing weapons charges for a 2021 Waukegan incident. According to court records, a warrant had been issued for his arrest in January for a late December shooting.

The prosecutors also said Williams had a warrant issued for failing to appear in court on traffic charges, including a fleeing and eluding count.