Nearly 20 shots fired following bar fight in Highwood, police say

No one was reported injured when nearly 20 gunshots were fired at and near a Highwood bar early Sunday morning, according to the Highwood Police Department.

Highwood Police Chief Dave Wentz confirmed that police responded around 3 a.m. June 7 to Santi’s Gardens, 324 Green Bay Road, to a report of gunfire, discovering 18 shell casings as well as bullet holes in parked cars and the building at that address, in news first reported Tuesday by Lake & McHenry County Scanner.

Police believe a fight inside the bar led to two men leaving the bar to retrieve handguns and open fire, discharging close to 20 rounds before fleeing the scene in a black SUV.

Wentz said the incident happened as the bar was closing and no people were outside the building when shots rang out. Police are unsure how many were inside the space, “as it cleared out apparently after the incident,” Wentz said via email.

The suspect car reportedly then crashed near Old Elm and Sheridan roads, near Highwood’s border with Lake Forest.

Police apprehended the driver, who reportedly called police to report the crash, while the second man fled on foot, possibly down the train tracks near Fort Sheridan, according to Wentz.

The ensuing hourslong search drew assistance from other area law enforcement and reportedly ended around 8 a.m. The second man was not located and remains at large as of press time (Wednesday morning, June 10).

The apprehended driver was uncooperative and eventually released. Wentz said police at the time only had “circumstantial” evidence “until we get forensics back.” But Wentz confirmed arrest warrants are expected.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office’s K9 unit of Deputy John Forlenza and Lux, who participated in the search, tracked the fleeing offender “for a significant distance” and located two loaded handguns beneath a tree that authorities believe belong to the offenders.

Wentz said police believe the guns are the ones used in the shooting.

“The recovery of those firearms was a significant development in the investigation,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “Had they not been found, they could have remained accessible to the offender or fallen into the wrong hands. The investigation remains ongoing by the local police department.”

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