Latest news with #Waukegan
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Illinois robbery suspect fatally stabbed in what police call self-defense
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways The Brief A 42-year-old man was fatally stabbed during a robbery attempt in Waukegan. Police say the stabbing victim was trying to rob two men who thought they were buying a motorcycle. Authorities ruled the stabbing self-defense; no charges have been filed. WAUKEGAN, Ill. - A man who tried to rob two people during a fake motorcycle sale was fatally stabbed in Waukegan on Sunday night in what police say was an act of self-defense. What we know Waukegan police responded to the area of Adelphi and Harrison around 9:55 p.m. for a report of a stabbing. There, officers found a man with multiple stab wounds and performed CPR until fire crews arrived. He was then transported to a nearby hospital, where he died from his injuries. The man was later identified as 42-year-old Adam Hoth of Grayslake. An autopsy confirmed he died of multiple sharp force injuries, according to the Lake County Coroner's Office. The backstory Investigators say the incident stemmed from an attempted robbery gone wrong. Two men had gone to the neighborhood to meet someone about buying a motorcycle they'd been negotiating for over social media. When they arrived at the given address, the residents there said they had no idea what the men were talking about. As the two men walked back to their car, police say they were confronted by two people, including Hoth, who tried to rob them. Witnesses told police Hoth threatened them with a brick, broke their car window, and tried to steal the money they had brought for the motorcycle deal. A fight broke out between Hoth and one of the men, during which Hoth was stabbed. What's next After interviewing witnesses and reviewing evidence, the Lake County State's Attorney's Office determined the stabbing was self-defense. No charges have been filed against the man who used the knife. Police say additional charges related to the robbery attempt are expected as the investigation continues. The Source The information in this article was provided by the Waukegan Police Department.
Chicago Tribune
08-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Warren big man Zach Ausburn's double-double is double-OT trouble for Waukegan in Class 4A sectional final
Warren basketball player Zach Ausburn seems to be made for this. Once March arrives and the intensity increases — like in the double-overtime Class 4A Waukegan Sectional championship game against the host Bulldogs — the 6-foot-7 senior center is in his element, and anyone in his way is unceremoniously cast aside more often that not. 'This is my favorite type of basketball to play, just being able to be physical, hitting bodies all game,' Ausburn said. 'You couldn't ask for anything better — double overtime, fighting back through it all.' The second-seeded Blue Devils couldn't have asked for anything more from Ausburn, who scored 23 points and grabbed 17 rebounds during their 70-60 win over top-seeded Waukegan on Friday. 'He's an animal on the boards, and he was a stud for us tonight,' Warren coach Zack Ryan said. Sophomore guard Jaxson Davis added 22 points and six assists for Warren (25-10), which won a sectional title for the second straight season while denying the rival Bulldogs (24-8) their first since 2010 and will play Rolling Meadows (30-4) in the NIU Supersectional in DeKalb at 7:30 p.m. Monday 'It was just a great, physical game,' Ausburn said. Ausburn is as physical as they come, but not in a brawny way. He's more like a pinball, careening in and out of tiny gaps, past and around opponents with a unique knack for getting the ball in his hands. When he reels in an offensive rebound, the ball often goes back up and through the net within a split second. True to form, half of Ausburn's 10 baskets resulted from his work on the offensive glass, and several other offensive rebounds bought the Blue Devils additional chances in a game where every possession counted. Ausburn's final entry in the scoring column came on a three-point play that gave Warren a 66-58 lead with 52 seconds left in the second overtime period. 'It's really impressive how he does that,' Davis said. 'The way I'd describe him is tough and gritty. He just wants it.' Ausburn has been on a mission since last season ended with a supersectional loss to Palatine. After watching that postseason run from the bench, Ausburn dedicated himself to becoming the player who is averaging a double-double on a team that weathered injuries and a merciless schedule with a target on its back. 'I prepared for this,' Ausburn said. 'I don't think I have to pinch myself, but it does feel surreal. This is something we've been working toward for a whole year, and once we won the other night, and knowing that we had lost to them (Waukegan) twice, this game was on my mind nonstop.' The environment was electric in Waukegan's jam-packed gym, and that, too, was something Ausburn prepared to face. 'You have to be able to clear your mind and be loose and free,' he said. 'You can't be worried about the noise. You just focus on yourself and how you have to play. All of the adrenaline gets you ready, and I wasn't really fazed by it.' Ausburn established himself early with 12 points in the first half, and the Blue Devils took a 31-24 lead into halftime after Davis hit a 35-footer from the left side at the buzzer. Waukegan stormed back, however, outscoring Warren 19-10 in the third quarter. The Bulldogs led by four points twice in the fourth quarter, but Warren senior forward Jack Wolf's layup with 46 seconds left in regulation forced overtime. No one scored in the first overtime period, but the Blue Devils led wire to wire over the final four minutes. Ausburn's basket and free throw in the last minute practically iced Warren's win. 'He didn't force anything and played under control,' Ryan said. 'That's really important for us, and it's a testament to his maturity.' To Ryan's point, it's almost inconceivable how someone can stuff the stat sheet like Ausburn does without a single set being run for him. 'I know I'm not going to really have any plays set up for me,' he said. 'That's just my role on the team. I know that if I'm going to have opportunities to score, I'm going to have to get offensive rebounds and put myself in position to get the ball into my hands.' Ausburn will likely have to keep doing that for Warren to break through to the state semifinals in Champaign. 'As a team, we realized that loss last year was a feeling we never wanted to experience again,' he said. 'From that point on, this summer, fall, up to this point, we've been working nonstop in the gym, doing everything we can to get further this year. A game like this will be a great springboard.' Originally Published:
Chicago Tribune
01-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Waukegan's Yashir ‘DJ' Cole has seen it all in his 4 seasons. ‘From rock bottom,' he leads the Bulldogs back.
The bookends of Yashir 'DJ' Cole's varsity experience in the Waukegan boys basketball program could not be any more different. The initial luster of Cole's promotion in the middle of the 2021-22 season dimmed considerably amid a seemingly endless string of losses. Three years later, as the only player left from that team, the 5-foot-9 senior guard can truly appreciate how far the Bulldogs have come. 'The program was really bad, and I went through those hard times, all the losing,' Cole said of his freshman season, when Waukegan went 3-27. 'Now I'm here celebrating with my teammates. It's been a long ride for me. But we do this all together.' Cole and his teammates were celebrating after North Suburban Conference co-champion Waukegan's 73-57 win in the Class 4A Libertyville Regional championship game on Friday. By beating the fourth-seeded host Wildcats for the third time this season, the top-seeded Bulldogs won their first regional title since 2019 and advanced to play second-seeded Rockford Guilford on their home court in the Waukegan Sectional semifinals on Wednesday. Cole may not have been a statistical leader for the Bulldogs (23-7). But he was his typically productive self alongside junior wing Simereon Carter, who scored a game-high 21 points, and junior forward Jaali Love, who had 19 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Carter Newsome added 16 points. Junior forward Bryce Wegrzyn led Libertyville (16-14) with 16 points. 'DJ isn't a star, but he does the dirty work, and every team needs a player like him,' Love said. 'Without him, our energy wouldn't be there. If the gym was quiet, you would have heard DJ. He's the loudest one, and we feed off that. 'This is his first time winning, and I feel good for him.' Cole's efforts exemplify his careerlong buy-in to the idea that the sum of Waukegan's highly talented parts is stronger than any individual. He has been a consistent contributor as the Bulldogs went 12-17 in 2022-23 and 17-14 in 2023-24. Cole is averaging 6.5 points this season, but Waukegan coach Ron Ashlaw listed 'one billion intangibles daily' as an addendum to his stats. 'He does a little of everything,' Ashlaw said. 'He keeps us organized and keeps us pushing when we're flat. He gets on us in timeouts and takes the board out of my hand and puts stuff up there. He helps me run practice. 'He is everything you want out of a high school senior basketball player who has seen us from rock bottom to going back home for a sectional.' Against Libertyville, Cole set the tone early with a steal and a fast-break layup. He also scored on a tip-in at the end of the first half, giving the Bulldogs a 34-24 lead. 'As soon as I saw Simereon take the shot, I saw it was falling short,' Cole said. 'The big guy (Wegrzyn) was on my hip, so I jumped and put my hand in there. I didn't think it was going in, but it did, and that was a nice boost.' Cole, who finished with five points, doesn't expect to score a lot. That's fine with him. 'I don't care about scoring 20 points,' he said. 'All that matters is getting the win. I like to be a complete player who can do a little of everything, and as a team, we try to execute everything perfectly, better than other teams. I try to lead the way, showing how to do that.' One of the ways Cole takes the lead is by rolling up his sleeves on defense. Even with his 160-pound frame, he doesn't back down from a challenge. 'I love to put a body on somebody and make all of the hustle plays,' Cole said. 'Height doesn't matter to me. Weight doesn't matter to me. I just want to get the job done.' Having done his job with such regularity will be Cole's legacy. 'Here's why he's so special,' Ashlaw said. 'He's been part of the climb back. That was unacceptable to him, me and everybody. Now we have four other starters with a lot of firepower, and he doesn't have to be that firepower. You need that spindle for the other dudes to go around, and he's that spindle. 'You can't ask for a better kid, and I am so ridiculously happy for him.'
Chicago Tribune
20-02-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Warren's Owen Squires squares up 3-point debate. ‘Why take two points when you can get three?' Like he does.
Don't expect Warren senior guard Owen Squires to complain about the 3-point trend in basketball. For Squires, it's a matter of simple arithmetic. 'Why take two points when you can get three?' he said. 'I love to shoot the basketball. It doesn't get much better than seeing the ball go through the net.' That's a common occurrence for Squires, even though he comes off the bench for a team that features players like super sophomore Jaxson Davis. Squires is shooting 42% from beyond the arc, and he often makes an impact soon after his name is called. To say that Squires goes on the court hunting for his shot would be an understatement. 'I told him he has the green light when he's open,' Warren coach Zack Ryan said. 'When he's in the game and his teammates get him the ball, he's a difference-maker. 'Everyone knows he's a shooter. But he's also a good passer, and the last few weeks he's stepped up on defense.' Indeed, with Squires hitting 3-pointers left and right, it's easy to overlook the fact that he's not just a shooter. As Ryan suggested, Squires has worked hard to earn minutes for more than his shooting acumen. 'I do what's best for the team,' Squires said. 'I can come in and hit shots, and that helps spread the floor. But I pride myself on playing good defense, communicating with the other guys on the floor, helping keep everyone out there focused.' Opponents identify Squires, often very loudly, when he's at the scorer's table, and for good reason. He has hit a team-high 55 3-pointers this season while averaging 7.7 points. Squires can heat up in a hurry too. He made three 3-pointers in the second half against Waubonsie Valley on Saturday as the Blue Devils (21-10, 9-5) tried to climb back before losing 60-56, and he single-handedly erased Waukegan's sizable lead in the second quarter of a North Suburban Conference game on Jan. 28 with four 3-pointers in the period. 'That was an amazing feeling,' Squires said of his flurry against Waukegan. 'To me, there's no better feeling than knowing that you're helping your team. Even though we didn't end up winning, I felt like I played my part.' Training for moments like that began many years ago for Squires. Long before he was making big shots for Warren under the bright lights in consequential varsity games, he was wearing out the net of the miniature hoop in his bedroom. 'That actually was very helpful,' Squires said. 'I used to spend hours a day shooting and going through game scenarios in my head.' Warren senior guard Andrew Watson has seen Squires' shooting ability up close for many years, going all the way back to recess in third grade. They've played AAU basketball together, as well, so Watson knows what Squires can do with the ball in his hands. 'We put up a lot of points when he shoots well because it's hard to guard everybody,' Watson said. 'No matter what the situation is, we know he can spark us. There can be two people on him, people in his face, guarding him eye to eye, and there's still a good chance it'll go in.' Squires' success is particularly meaningful to him given his limited role last season. He had mononucleosis for part of the season and was mostly a spectator as the Blue Devils reached a Class 4A supersectional. 'Our main goal last year was to go downstate, and that's what we're still gunning for,' Squires said. 'We can go wherever we want to go because of the level of talent we have, but we have to play well together. 'Obviously, everyone wants to play the whole game. But as long as I can play a part in us winning, that's all that matters.'
Chicago Tribune
14-02-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Lake County's newest K-9 following in his father's paw prints
Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg announced the other day he was looking for a few good men and women to join the Sheriff's Office. For the time being, he has a new K-9 deputy. This month, he introduced the department's newest canine cop, Lux, who just happens to be a direct offspring of the late Sheriff's Office K-9, Dax. It's a storybook ending to Dax's life as one of the office's most decorated sheriff's deputies, human or canine. Before his passing on April 12, Dax, a German shepherd, fathered a litter of puppies. Deputy John Forlenza, Dax's longtime partner, saw something in one of them to have the potential to follow in his father's paw prints, according to a statement from the Sheriff's Office. Puppy Lux was then selected as the top candidate for a future law enforcement career. Lux and Forlenza will be undergoing training at Tops K9, off Route 120 in Grayslake, across the road from Northwestern Medicine's Outpatient Center, this spring. The training facility has prepped previous members of the sheriff's K-9 unit. That training consists of canine psychology, obedience, agility, tracking, scent detection and more, according to the Sheriff's Office. Dogs and partners train as a team until they are ready for duty. Dax was injured in March 2024 while apprehending a fleeing suspect in unincorporated Zion. The severity of his injuries led to his early retirement and his eventual euthanasia. 'K-9 Dax will always hold a special place in our hearts, and we are incredibly saddened by his passing,' Idleburg said in a statement at the time. He has long supported the use of K-9s in police work. While announcing Lux as the newest member of the office's K-9 corps, the sheriff also hinted another dog will be joining the force. The office has a K-9 team of a half-dozen dogs and handlers. They have been proven law enforcement successes for Lake County residents time and again. They also have partnered with local police on a daily basis when requested for tracking or seeking missing folks. Like their human partners, the dogs also face peril when called upon to search for suspects. Late last month, K-9 Danno was kicked in the head by a Waukegan suspect he was seeking to corral in Beach Park. The dog was not injured seriously. But he did bite the suspect on the foot, which allowed deputies to take the Waukeganite into custody. In addition to other violations, the suspect was charged with striking a police k-9, according to the Sheriff's Office. Idleburg noted: 'This incident is yet another reminder of the dangers and risks our deputies — and law enforcement officers across the country — face every day.' Dax faced similar hazards during his tour of duty, which began in 2015 after being trained at the Grayslake facility. Dax was born in the Czech Republic and turned into another Lake County immigrant success story. During his time of service, Dax received global recognition for his service. That included tracking down more than 400 missing and endangered people or fleeing felons, discovering illegal drugs dozens of firearms discarded by offenders, and participating in hundreds of community and school demonstrations. 'Lux carries on an incredible legacy, as a direct offspring of our beloved K-9 Dax,' Idleburg said. 'We have no doubt that Lux, alongside Deputy Forlenza, will continue to serve and protect the residents of Lake County with the same dedication and bravery.' For his part, Forlenza said: 'I would like to express my profound sense of gratitude and happiness that the Lake County Sheriff's Office has officially named K-9 Dax's son, K-9 Lux, as my new partner. I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to continue as a member of the Lake County Sheriff's Office K-9 Team, and to serve the citizens of Lake County with K-9 Lux.' With a full complement of K-9 officers ready for service this year, Idleburg points out the Sheriff's Office continues to look for new-entry deputies and lateral hires. 'There has never been a better time to apply to join an amazing crew of colleagues and play a role in keeping our community safe,' the sheriff said of those seeking a career in law enforcement with the office. Perhaps some of the future deputies will become K-9 partners and carry on the tradition of Dax and his fellow canine coppers. Which brings up why no one has pitched a film idea based on the life of Dax to Hollywood producers. With Lux, they even have a ready-made sequel.
