Teen charged with shooting outside Palatine Wal-Mart

SHARE Teen charged with shooting outside Palatine Wal-Mart
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Giovanny Unzueta | Palatine police

Bond was denied Wednesday for a 17-year-old boy charged with shooting and critically wounding a man last week outside a Wal-Mart in northwest suburban Palatine.

Giovanny Unzueta faces one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count count of aggravated battery with a firearm, both felonies, according to Palatine police. He was charged as an adult.

Officers responded about 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 to the store at 1555 N. Rand Rd. and found a 19-year-old man shot once in the face in the parking lot, police said.

He was conscious and was able to provide information to the officers, police said. He was taken in critical condition to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he underwent surgery.

Police said the man, who does not have a gang affiliation, was a victim of mistaken identity. He has since been released from the hospital.

Unzueta, a known gang member and a Palatine resident, was identified as the shooter, police said. He was jailed without bond at a Wednesday hearing, records show. He is due in court again March 3.

Police are still investigating the shooting. Anyone with information should call detectives at (847) 359-9000; or Crime Stoppers at (847) 590-7867.

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