A suspect in this week’s fatal shooting of a 15-year-old Round Lake Beach girl in her home has been arrested, police said Friday morning.
The suspect is a man who lives a couple blocks from where Valeria Rodriguez was shot Wednesday night, said Chris Covelli, spokesman for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force.
Charges are pending.
The suspect was taken into custody after police found a semiautomatic handgun during a search of his home early Friday morning, Covelli said. He already was being questioned by police during the search.
A ballistic test that could indicate if the deadly bullet came from the gun police recovered is expected today, Covelli said.
Rodriguez was shot about 9 p.m. Wednesday while sitting at a dining table in her home on Cherokee Drive. An examination showed she died from a gunshot wound to the torso, according to the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
The bullet that killed Rodriguez was fired outside near the home and went through a window before striking her, police have said. Authorities don’t believe Rodriguez was targeted.