Two 15-year-olds charged in fatal Park City shooting

Two 15-year-old boys are in custody in connection with the killing of a 27-year-old North Chicago man shot to death Sunday in Park City, authorities said Wednesday.

Because they are minors, neither teen was identified by police. One is from Gurnee and the other lives in Waukegan. Both are being held at the Hulse Juvenile Detention Facility near Vernon Hills, according to the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force.

Task force spokesman Christopher Covelli said investigators determined that James Hicks was killed during what was supposed to be a drug deal. Hicks and two unnamed associates drove to the 700 block of Sharon Avenue in Park City to sell marijuana to the two teens, Covelli said. An argument broke out during the transaction, and the Waukegan teen pulled out a gun and began shooting, authorities said.

Hicks, who was sitting in the back seat of a car, was struck multiple times before getting out the vehicle and collapsing, Covelli said. No one else in the argument pulled out a gun, he added.

Hicks was taken from the scene to Vista East Medical Center in Waukegan, where he was pronounced dead.

The 15-year-olds are currently being charged as juveniles. Both are charged with armed robbery and the Waukegan teen is charged with first-degree murder.