A 15-year-old girl from Illinois died after being shot in her home. A man who is 19 years old has now been charged with murder.
The Lake County Major Crime Task Force said in a press statement that Valeria Rodriguez is not thought to have been the target of the July 24 shooting.
Authorities say the gun was fired outside of Valeria’s home in Round Lake, Illinois, and hit her. The news station ABC7 said she was eating dinner when she was shot.
For his part in the killing, Shorbonia Poole Jr. was arrested. The police said they found the gun used in the killing in Poole’s house.
Poole was first charged with having a gun while being a criminal. On August 5, he was charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm and felony murder.
A spokesman for the office of the state’s attorney for Lake County said Poole has not yet made a plea. It’s not clear right away if he has hired a lawyer. He will be held in jail for a hearing on August 20.
In a statement, State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said, “Our office continues to send our deepest condolences and sympathies to Valeria Rodriguez’s family on their unimaginable loss.”
Valeria went to Round Lake High School, according to her death notice. More than $16,000 has been raised for a GoFundMe account set up in her honor.
The biography says, “Her contagious smile and friendly personality made her a beloved figure among her classmates and teachers alike.” “Her interests were as bright and colorful as she was.” Valeria had an unquenchable love for music. The sounds of Kali Uchis and Cuco were often the background noise in her life. She found comfort in the way makeup could change her look, and she liked being creative even when she was at ease.
