Round Lake Beach shooting suspect arrested

A 17-year-old suspected gang member has been charged after he shot a victim in the leg over the weekend in Round Lake Beach, police said.

Efrain Velazquez, of the 1200 block of Sunset Avenue in Round Lake Beach, was arrested Wednesday afternoon on charges of aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm and defacing identification marks of a firearm, police said.

Velazquez is also suspected in another possible gang-related shooting that occurred on New Year’s Eve in Round Lake Beach during which five people were shot at during a drive-by, police said.

The shooting Velazquez was charged with occurred early Sunday morning during an argument with the victim, according to police. On Monday, Round Lake Beach police contacted the McHenry County sheriff’s department to assist in locating and apprehending Velazquez.

The two departments, along with help from the U.S. marshal’s fugitive task force, arrested Velazquez at a home on the 5300 block of West Lane in McCullom Lake about 1 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

Velazquez is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.