Crime
41-year-old Shamaree Siller killed in shooting outside Hillcrest High School
Country Club Hills Police reported that a black Infiniti Q50 sedan approached the father and son as they exited the school.
Authorities have identified the victim of a fatal shooting outside Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills as 41-year-old Shamaree Siller of Chicago.
The incident took place on Saturday afternoon while Siller was attending a boysโ basketball tournament, hosted by Hillcrest High School, where his sonโs team from Prairie Hills Junior High was competing.
According to the Prairie-Hills Elementary School District 144, the shooting occurred just before 1:30 p.m. in the schoolโs parking lot as Siller and his middle-school-aged son were leaving the tournament.
Country Club Hills Police reported that a black Infiniti Q50 sedan approached the father and son as they exited the school.
Multiple armed gunmen, masked and dressed in hoodies, exited the vehicle, which had a fictitious license plate, and opened fire on Siller, fatally wounding him.
His son was unharmed in the attack.
Investigators released photos of the suspect vehicle, which was last seen heading toward Chicagoโs South Side.
Police currently have no indication that Siller was involved in any prior conflict or confrontation, and they believe he was not the intended target.
The suspects did not enter the school building, and police are working to track down the individuals responsible for this tragic act.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident or the suspectsโ vehicle to come forward, as the case remains unsolved.
Orlando, Fla. โ Family and friends of 33-year-old Julien Emmanuel Cruz are seeking answers and accountability following his fatal shooting outside a popular LGBTQ+ nightclub early Sunday morning.
According to the Orlando Police Department, officers responded at approximately 2:31 a.m. on February 22, 2026, to the 1900 block of North Orange Avenue, just north of Lake Ivanhoe, in reference to a reported shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located Cruz suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Authorities confirmed Cruz was born May 18, 1992.
Detectives determined that prior to the shooting, Cruz and the suspect were involved in a verbal and physical altercation on the sidewalk outside the nightclub district. Investigators say that during the dispute, the suspect retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and shot Cruz.
The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, which patrol officers later located in the 200 block of East New Hampshire Avenue, approximately two blocks from where the shooting occurred.
Police subsequently arrested 37-year-old Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr (DOB: October 29, 1988). He has been charged with Second Degree Murder with a Firearm. Authorities confirmed this case marks the third homicide in Orlando in 2026.
Cruzโs father, Anthony Cruz, said his son and his partner had been at Savoy Orlando enjoying the evening before the violence unfolded.
According to the family, as the couple exited the club after closing time, a vehicle sped past them. Cruzโs partner allegedly yelled toward the occupants of the vehicle, prompting the car to stop. A physical altercation then reportedly began between Cruzโs partner and one of the individuals from the vehicle.
โWhen they fought, my son saw that was happening. My son went to intervene, and when he intervened, another guy got out of the car, and he got shot,โ Anthony Cruz said. โMy son didnโt deserve what happened. All I have left is a shirt โ a shirt with a bullet hole.โ
While police have charged Borja Gil De La Madr, Cruzโs family maintains that another individual may have been directly responsible for pulling the trigger. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether additional suspects are being sought.
A small memorial has formed across from the nightclub, where members of the community have gathered to honor Cruzโs memory.
Joshua Cooper, owner of Savoy Orlando, said the tragedy has deeply impacted the LGBTQ+ community, even though the shooting occurred off the clubโs property.
โI didnโt know the victim, but from everything Iโve been told, I wish I had,โ Cooper said. โHe seemed like a great kid. Seeing a family that is so heartbroken and so supportive of this community says so much.โ
The Orlando Police Department has not released additional information regarding potential additional suspects. Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the altercation and shooting.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Orlando Police Department or Crimeline.
The investigation remains active.