On October 4, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in Round Lake Beach, Illinois, resulting in the death of 17-year-old Chad Greenenwald from Fox Lake. The events unfolded around 8:20 p.m. when police responded to a 911 call from a cellphone in the area of Cedar Lake and Rollins roads. Upon arrival, officers found a vehicle damaged by gunfire at a gas station, where Greenenwald was discovered in the passenger seat with gunshot wounds to the chest.
Greenenwald was immediately transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was pronounced dead. The preliminary investigation indicated that Greenenwald was in the vehicle with two other individuals – the driver and another passenger. They had stopped in the area of Midland Drive and Sycamore Drive in Round Lake, likely to meet someone. It is believed that they were approached by at least one person on foot, leading to the shooting.
After the shooting, the person who fired the shots fled the scene on foot, and the driver of the vehicle drove to the nearby gas station, where police located the vehicle and the victim. A neighbor near the scene reported hearing shots, which he initially mistook for a car backfiring, and saw a car speeding away from the area.
The Lake County Major Crime Task Force and the Round Lake Police Department are currently investigating the incident. As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made, and the police are seeking any information that might lead to identifying the perpetrator. The community, including Greenenwald's school, Grant Community High School, has been deeply affected by his death, with counseling services made available to students and staff.
The school's superintendent, Christine Sefcik, expressed the school's sorrow and extended condolences to Greenenwald's family and friends, emphasizing the school's commitment to supporting those affected by the tragedy. Anyone with information regarding the shooting is urged to contact the Round Lake Police Department at 847-546-8112.
