On July 1, 2023, a fatal shooting occurred at a large house party in the 40600 block of North Kilbourne Road in Wadsworth, Illinois. The victim, identified as Sotero Sanchez Jr., a 19-year-old man from Waukegan, was shot multiple times during an argument with another person at the party.
The incident was reported to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office around 1:45 a.m. When deputies arrived, they found Sanchez, who had been shot several times. He was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy performed later confirmed that Sanchez died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.
According to the preliminary investigation, the shooting followed a disagreement between Sanchez and the offender. During this altercation, the offender produced a firearm and shot Sanchez several times. Dozens of people left the party after the shooting and before the deputies arrived, which has complicated the investigation.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, is actively investigating the incident. As of the latest reports, no one is in custody in connection with the shooting. Authorities are seeking to interview all partygoers and are asking anyone with information to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 847-377-4000 or to submit anonymous tips through Lake County Crime Stoppers.
A GoFundMe account was created to help Sanchez's family with funeral expenses, describing him as a young man who was "turning his life around for the better" before the tragedy occurred.
