Antioch shooting: 2 charged, ghost guns seized after shooting at planned fight

ANTIOCH, Ill. - Two suspects have been charged, and two ghost guns were recovered following gunfire during a pre-planned fight in Antioch early Wednesday morning, which wounded one person and led to multiple arrests.

Antioch police responded to reports of gunshots around 12:43 a.m. in the area of Hillside and Harden, near Routes 173 and 59. Officers found no one at the scene but discovered several spent and unspent rounds on the roadway.

Investigators also found a blood trail and alerted area hospitals to be on the lookout for a gunshot victim. Shortly after, a 23-year-old man arrived at Advocate Condell Hospital in Libertyville with a gunshot wound to his arm.

The investigation determined that two large groups had met near Hillside and Harden for a prearranged fistfight due to an ongoing dispute. The altercation escalated, and several individuals pulled out guns and opened fire.

Immediately after the shooting report, a Lake County Sheriff's deputy spotted a vehicle matching the description of one involved near Main Street, just north of Route 173. The deputy stopped the vehicle, leading to the arrest of several suspects.

Later that day, around 4 p.m., police executed a search warrant at a residence in the 400 block of Illinois Route 173 in connection with the incident.

On Thursday, 20-year-old D'Angelo Conver of Zion was charged with use of a weapon, a Class X felony. He appeared in court and was denied bond.

Additionally, a 17-year-old Antioch resident was charged with two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, a Class X felony, and a Class 2 felony. The juvenile was transported to the Hulse Juvenile Detention Center.

Police recovered two ghost guns, which lack serial numbers and are difficult to trace. One had an illegal 50-round drum magazine attached, and both firearms used "switches" to convert them into fully automatic weapons.

"This type of crime is not tolerated in Antioch. I am grateful for the swift actions of our police department and supporting agencies," Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner said in a statement.

Police said the incident was targeted and isolated, with all suspects involved taken into custody. Additional charges are pending ballistic and forensic analysis from the crime lab.