On October 17, 2024, a targeted shooting in the 2500 block of Gilead Avenue in Zion, Illinois, left 19-year-old Alexander Bailey of Waukegan dead. Multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire brought Zion Police, Zion Fire Rescue and Winthrop Harbor Fire crews to a residence about 7:57 a.m., where two males were found unconscious and not breathing. Both were taken to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan; Bailey was pronounced dead in the emergency room from multiple gunshot wounds, confirmed by Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.

The other victim, an 18-year-old Zion resident, was critically wounded and underwent surgery and was still receiving treatment. The Zion Police Department, with assistance from the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, is investigating and characterizes the shooting as targeted, saying there is no broader risk to the community. Specific details about the incident have not been released. If anyone has information, contact the Zion Police Department Investigations Division at 847-872-8000.