Elgin police charge shooting suspect

A 19-year-old reputed gang member was accused late Tuesday of shooting at rival gang members in November, Elgin police said.

Jose Luis Garcia of 664 Congdon Ave, Elgin, was charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated use of a weapon, police said.

According to police, a car carrying two teens, 17 and 16 years old, was driving down the 400 block of Ann Street on Nov. 9, 2006.

Two teens wearing black hooded sweatshirts suddenly appeared on the sidewalk -- one lifted a shotgun and fired two blasts at the car.

One of the shots struck the 17-year-old driver on the palm of his left hand, leaving a small puncture wound.

Police said the shooter was Garcia, and the two teens in the car were known members of rival street gangs.

Garcia previously had been charged with six counts of aggravated use of a weapon and one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm Nov. 11, 2006, accused of firing three shots at four or five men standing in front of a home on the 200 block of Hill Street.

Police said they interviewed Garcia on Jan. 5 about the Nov. 9 shooting.

Police waited until Tuesday to arrest Garcia on the Nov. 9 incident because of further investigation and a follow-up of lab work, according to Elgin Deputy Police Chief Bob Beeter.

"We don't have any reason to believe that he was involved in any of the recent shootings in Elgin," Beeter said.

Garcia was held in the Kane County jail on $50,000 bond with an Oct. 5 court date at the Kane County Judicial Center.