Christopher Tapia, a 19-year-old from Zion, Illinois, was fatally shot in Waukegan on December 22, 2024. Officers responded about 5:30 p.m. near South Park Avenue and Water Street after reports of gunfire; Tapia was found with a gunshot wound, taken to Vista Medical Center East and pronounced dead. An autopsy attributed his death to a single gunshot wound.

Investigators say the shooting was part of a larger confrontation that escalated into a shootout. Authorities recovered four firearms at the scene, including two with modifications that made them fully automatic, and estimate about 45 rounds were exchanged. The exchange damaged nearby homes and vehicles and reportedly injured a child.

Detectives identified a 27-year-old Waukegan man who admitted to firing at Tapia and said he had been shopping at a convenience store when Tapia and two others entered and that he fired after being shot at. The Major Crime Scene Unit and multiple agencies responded and the investigation is ongoing.

Did anyone in the area witness the confrontation near South Park Avenue and Water Street that evening?