On December 9, 2024, at approximately 7:10 p.m., a fatal shooting occurred in the parking lot of the Lake Plaza shopping center located at 700 South Lake Street in Mundelein, Illinois. The victim, identified as 21-year-old Luis Moreno from Wheeling, Illinois, was found with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was pronounced dead despite efforts to save him.
Investigators from the Lake County Major Crime Task Force and Mundelein Police Department conducted a thorough investigation into the incident. They determined that the shooting involved two vehicles: a tan Acura and a dark-colored Infiniti. Joaquin Romero, a 20-year-old resident of Mundelein, was identified as a passenger in the Acura. Romero is accused of firing multiple shots from the backseat of the Acura, striking Moreno, who was in the Infiniti. After the shooting, Romero allegedly took the firearm used in the incident and concealed it.
Romero was arrested on December 10, 2024, in Round Lake, Illinois, without incident. He faces charges of aggravated unlawful possession of a firearm and obstructing justice. The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved these charges following the investigation. Romero was held in custody pending a detention hearing, which was scheduled for December 11, 2024.
The investigation into the homicide remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to seek information from the public. Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact the Mundelein Police Department at 847-968-4600.
