Jovan DuBose, a 23-year-old African American male from Park City, Illinois, was tragically shot and killed on December 11, 2017, in the parking lot of a Walmart located at 3900 Fountain Square Place in Waukegan, Illinois. The incident occurred around 6:00 p.m. when multiple 9-1-1 calls reported shots fired and a traffic collision in the area. Upon arrival, Waukegan police officers found Jovan DuBose with gunshot wounds on the east side of the Walmart parking lot. Despite attempts to revive him with CPR, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The preliminary autopsy results confirmed that Jovan DuBose died from injuries related to a gunshot wound. The Lake County Coroner's Office, led by Dr. Howard Cooper, conducted the autopsy and noted that toxicology results were pending at the time. The Waukegan Police Department's Criminal Investigations Unit classified the incident as isolated and stated that there was no ongoing threat to the community.
The investigation into Jovan DuBose's death led to the arrest of several suspects. On December 15, 2017, Octavis Jones, a 21-year-old male from Waukegan, and Shajuan Garrett, an 18-year-old male from Zion, were arrested and charged with one count of First Degree Murder. Both suspects were remanded into the custody of the Lake County Illinois Jail, each held on a $3 million bond. They were scheduled to appear in court again on January 11, 2018.
On December 16, 2017, Gerard Wade, a 22-year-old male from North Chicago, was also arrested and charged with one count of First Degree Murder. Gerard Wade was held on a $5 million bond and was scheduled to appear in court on December 19, 2017. An arrest warrant was issued for Rashaan Wade, a 20-year-old male from Waukegan, who was considered armed and dangerous. Rashaan Wade was later arrested by U.S. Marshals in Los Angeles on January 8, 2018. The investigation revealed that the shooting was related to an illegal drug sale that took place in the Walmart parking lot.
The Waukegan Police Department deliberately withheld certain details about the level of participation by each suspect and other specifics of the homicide. However, they confirmed that the weapon used in the homicide had not been recovered. The case remained open and active, with detectives continuing to gather evidence and review security camera footage from the vicinity. The public was urged to provide any information related to the case by contacting the Waukegan Police Department's tip line.
