Gurnee Mills Parking Lot Shooting: Man Gets Lengthy Prison Sentence

GURNEE, IL — A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to 32 years in prison for fatally shooting a man in the Gurnee Mills parking lot in November 2021.

Joey Gonzalez, 27, was convicted on charges of second-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, according to a news release of the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.

The conviction stems from the Nov. 21, 2021, shooting in the parking lot at Gurnee Mills. On that day, officers responded to a report of shots fired and found Jonathan Denicolas, 26, who had been shot and was receiving care from Good Samaritan.

Denicolas was taken to the hospital where he died, authorities said.

Denicolas had arranged to meet with Gonzalez on the day of the shooting, authorities said following the shooting. Gonzalez was arrested and taken into custody in August 2022.

Denicolas' mother spoke during Gonzalez's sentencing hearing, describing him as being a playful and loving young man. She said Gonzalez took a big piece of her and her family’s lives when Gonzalez ended Jonathan’s life, according to the news release.

Prosecutors said he opened fire in the mall parking lot during "what was probably the busiest shopping weekend of the year."

Gonzalez also has a criminal history and was convicted in 2017 of involuntary manslaughter for accidentally shooting and killing his friend, according to the state's attorney's news release. He pleaded guilty that same year to a separate residential burglary charge.

In the 2017 cases, he was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison, which he was required to serve 50 percent of before petitioning for release.

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Gonzalez is required to serve 85 percent of his current 32-year sentence before he will be eligible for parole.