Suspected Tren de Aragua gang members tied to deadly Chicago mass shooting: ICE

CHICAGO - Federal authorities have arrested two Venezuelan nationals accused of opening fire at a crowded house party in Chicago’s Gage Park neighborhood last December, killing three and wounding five others.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Tuesday that Ricardo Granadillo Padilla, 25, and Edward Martinez Cermeno, 24 — both alleged members of the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua — have been taken into federal custody and face immigration-related charges as well as ongoing criminal investigations.

Gage Park mass shooting

The backstory:

The shooting unfolded around 2 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2024, inside a home in the 3500 block of West 59th Street during a social gathering attended predominantly by Venezuelan nationals.

 According to police, eight people — five men and three women between the ages of 20 and 35 — were shot. Three men were pronounced dead at the scene or at area hospitals, including a 26-year-old and a 28-year-old. 

The other victims sustained a range of injuries, including gunshot wounds to the head, abdomen, and limbs.

Graffiti believed to be gang-related was found on fences and trash bins behind the house, and CPD officials confirmed prior calls for service at the residence.

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ICE arrests

What we know:

Granadillo Padilla was arrested Feb. 8 in Raleigh, North Carolina, by a coalition of federal agencies, including ICE. He was previously convicted for illegally entering the U.S. in 2022 and remains in federal custody. Guns, narcotics, and fraudulent documents were seized during searches of his residences in both Chicago and North Carolina.

Martinez Cermeno was arrested Jan. 26 in Schaumburg by ICE HSI Chicago and CBP agents. He was initially released by a magistrate judge but was re-detained by ICE on immigration charges for unlawful entry into the U.S. in 2023 near Eagle Pass, Texas.

In addition to the two suspected shooters, ICE officials said they have arrested 16 other Tren de Aragua gang members and associates in the Chicago and Raleigh areas on immigration violations as the investigation continues.

What's next:

The suspects have not yet been formally charged in connection with the shootings, but law enforcement agencies said criminal investigations are ongoing.