15-year-old girl killed by stray bullet in Round Lake Beach shooting identified

ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. (WLS) -- A 15-year-old girl in was shot and killed when a stray bullet hit her Wednesday night in the north suburbs, police said.

Round Lake Beach police said they responded at about 9:10 p.m. to a residence in the 1500-block of Cherokee Drive and found the wounded girl.

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The girl was transported to a hospital, where she died, police said.

Investigators said someone outside of the home fired a gun and a stray bullet entered the home, hitting the girl. Her family told ABC7 she was eating dinner in the kitchen when she was shot.

She was later identified as Valeria Rodriguez, 15, according to the coroner. She died from a gunshot wound to the torso.

Police said it did not appear that the girl was targeted in the shooting.

Kids were playing on a playground when a barrage of bullets was sprayed on the normally quiet block, neighbors told ABC7. Some said they no longer feel safe inside their own homes.

"He came out to take out the trash. There were kids playing outside," neighbor Jacqueline Santana said. "But moments after, we saw emergency vehicles. It couldn't have been shortly after, you know? Kids are playing and this happens... Especially having my family here on that day, yesterday, I can't imagine. It could've happened to any of us."

Weeks ago, the family was celebrating the victim's Quinceañera, to now mourning the teenager's sudden murder.

"They were out here dancing and trying to prepare for that," an anonymous neighbor said. "The kids heard a pop, but they just thought it was fireworks... I'm just confused on how and why it happened."

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"I just saw the mom crying," Santana said. "It was just very devastating. I almost wanted to cry myself."

U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, who represents the area, said in a statement, "This is absolutely devastating news. My heart goes out to the victim's loved ones reeling from this terrible loss. We have got to get this senseless gun violence out of our communities."

A Lake County, Illinois, family says they are now left trapped by trauma, living inside the very place where Rodriguez was shot and killed.

The Major Crime Task Force Investigators and Round Lake Beach Police Detectives are investigating the shooting homicide. A motive is still unknown.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Round Lake Beach Police at: 847-546-2127.