Police report that on Sunday, three people were hurt outside a Six Flags theme park in Gurnee, Illinois.
At around 7:50 p.m., the Gurnee Police Department responded to multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired at the Six Flags Great America theme park, about 45 miles north of Chicago.
“The shooting this evening was not a random act, and appeared to be a targeted incident that occurred outside the park,” the Police Department said.
The initial investigation revealed that the suspects, in a white sedan, entered the Six Flags parking lot, exited the vehicle, and started shooting at a certain individual. They got back into the vehicle and quickly left the area.
The attack appeared to be gang-related.
A 17-year-old male from Aurora, Illinois sustained a thigh wound, and a 19-year-old female from Appleton, Wisconsin was hit in the leg. Both were brought to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A third person sustained an injury to the shoulder and declined to go to the hospital.
Six Flags Great America said in a statement that the park immediately responded to the shooting, along with Gurnee police and the Lake County Sheriff’s office. The Northern Police Alarm System (NIPAS) also assisted with the clearing of the theme park guests and staff. Park officials said that park was closed early Sunday in response to the shooting but reopened as scheduled Monday morning.
Spokeswoman Rachel Kendora said that the park is grateful for the members who worked to take care of guests and the presence of police for their ongoing security presence at the park.
“Six Flags dedicates our greatest amount of time, talent, and resources to safety and security,” the statement said. “Layers of preventative measures both inside and outside the park are in place for the protection of guests and team members. We continue to review and enhance our protocol on a daily basis to ensure we are providing the highest level of safety.”
Six Flags Great America is a 300-acre amusement park in Gurnee, Illinois, within the northern Chicago metropolitan area. It has 17 roller coasters, entertainment, and three children-themed areas.
Gurnee is about 15 miles north of Highland Park, the Chicago Suburb where a shooter opened fire on the 4th of July holiday parade killing seven people.
