WEST DUNDEE, Ill. (WBBM) ― Two Carpentersville men are charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a 19-year-old in the parking lot of Spring Hill Mall.
Juan C. Garcia and Oscar D. Jacobo, both 18 years old, are in custody in Capentersville.
The parking lot of the mall in West Dundee was full of people at the time the 19-year-old was shot Thursday evening.
Bruce Weiss can't believe the shooting happened at the mall where he starts his morning routine every day.
"Here? Spring Hill? That's kind of crazy!," he said. "I'm at the mall every day. I walk about four miles a day so I'm obviously pretty familiar with it and I've just never seen anything like this out here."
The shooting occurred around 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot outside the Kohl's store. The store was very crowded at the time, but many did not realize a shooting happened, and business went on as usual.
"It's very unnerving. It's kind of a two-fold thing, not only growing up here, but now as a business-owner it makes you a little apprehensive. And I just don't know what people are thinking," said business owner Sue Tomsovic.
Carpentersville Fire Dept. Capt. Larry Campbell said the victim "was able to talk, conscious and alert during the transport, and pretty stable."
The unidentified victim was in critical condition at Sherman Hospital in Elgin Friday morning, but by Friday afternoon his condition was upgraded to fair. According to police, he was shot once in the cheek and managed to get into the Kohl's store and ask for help.
Chiropractor Bob Kunz has his office across the street from the parking lot where the shooting took place.
"You're not going to be able to get away with this," Kunz said. "Somebody is going to see you. There's cameras all over, there's parking lot surveillance, there's security that drives around. You're not going to get home…get off Scott-free."
Security was tighter Friday at Spring Hill Mall, where it's business as usual, as the patrol cars reminded shoppers of what happened there Thursday night.
"It seems like there are a lot of people around here so yeah it should be fine," said shopper Bobbie Pusateri.
Police will not say if the shooting is gang-related, but they are continuing their investigation.
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