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Mass Shooting At Six Flags Outside Chicago Leaves Three Shot As Bystanders Scatter, Shelter In Place [VIDEO]

GURNEE, IL – According to reports [1], three people were non-fatally shot outside of the entrance of the Six Flags theme park in Gurnee Sunday night, with authorities saying that the shooting appears to have been “targeted.” [2]

Local authorities were notified at approximately 7:50 p.m. on August 14th about shots being fired at the parking lot of the Six Flags Great America, according to a press release [3] from the Gurnee Police Department.

The initial investigation notes that a white sedan entered the theme park parking lot and drove toward the front entrance, where an unspecified number of suspects then exited the white sedan and opened fire toward an unnamed individual located within the parking lot. Police say the suspects then jumped back into the white sedan and fled the scene.

Two of the victims shot were reportedly transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries according to authorities, with the two victims only being described as a 17 year-old-male from Aurora, Illinois, with an upper thigh wound and a 19 year-old-female from Appleton, Wisconsin, with a lower leg wound.

A third victim was also injured in the shooting, reportedly suffering an injury to their shoulder, but declined transport to a local hospital. Gurnee Police noted in their release that the matter was not a “random act,” so as to dissuade assertions that the incident was akin to an active shooter.

“The shooting this evening was not a random act, and appeared to be a targeted incident that occurred outside the park. This was not an active shooter incident inside the park. The Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS) is currently assisting with clearing the theme park of guests and staff.”

One witness, identified as Olga Davil, who spoke with a local ABC news outlet [4] about the incident, said, “As we were walking by the gate, they started escorting people out, rushing people out toward the front. Cops had already surrounded the place. There were two individuals that got shot and we saw blood by the entrance.”

No suspects have been identified or arrested as of this writing, with officials stating the incident is still under investigation.

Six Flags released a statement following the shooting, highlighting the security protocols they have in place to ensure guest safety, which includes the allocation of a police substation within the actual park itself.

“Six Flags dedicates our greatest amount of time, talent and resources to safety and security. 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.

“Cameras placed in the parking lot and inside the park, uniformed and plain clothes patrols throughout the property, and advanced screening technology allow us to react quickly and provide important information. The park security team is joined by the Gurnee Police Department, who operates a substation at the park.”

This piece was written by Gregory Hoyt on August 15, 2022. It originally appeared in RedVoiceMedia.com [5] and is used by permission.