The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office charged a Highland Park teen Monday in a shooting that left a 16-year-old boy dead.
Estiven Sarminento, 16, of the 900 block of Deerfield Road, was charged as an adult with two counts of first degree murder.
[ Highland Park police investigate fatal shooting of boy, 16 ]
The Lake County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Omar Diaz of Highwood.
Based on their investigation, Highland Park detectives believe there was an “ongoing dispute” between Sarminento and Diaz.
Highland Park High School Principal Deborah Finn identified Diaz as one of the school’s students in an email to the school community Monday.
Township High School District 113 Superintendent Bruce Law also sent an email Monday saying the scheduled metal detection system at the high school would be implemented earlier than expected, and police presence would be increased on campus “out of an abundance of caution” beginning on the first day of classes Wednesday.
Authorities said the victim was shot around 11:30 a.m. Sunday by a man on a sidewalk in the 2300 block of Green Bay Road in Highland Park.
Witnesses said the gunman, dressed in black and riding a bicycle, approached Diaz. The two engaged in a brief conversation before the man in black produced a handgun and shot Diaz, police said.
Police initially believed the shooter fled on the bike but now think he fled on foot, the Lake County Major Crime Task Force said.
A police dog tracked the offender but lost the scent at a nearby roadway, police said.
Diaz was brought to Highland Park Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities previously said say they believed the shooting was targeted and that the shooter and victim apparently knew one another.
Sarminento will be held in custody pending an initial court hearing Tuesday.
