Investigators have not announced charges or explained what led to the death of 16-year-old Alejandro Garcia.
BELLWOOD, Ill. — Three people have been taken into custody as Bellwood police investigate the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy who callers reported had been thrown from a vehicle Tuesday afternoon, but authorities have released few details about what happened before he was found.
The victim was identified by the Cook County medical examiner’s office as Alejandro Garcia of Villa Park. Police said officers responding at about 3:20 p.m. Tuesday found the wounded teenager near 22nd Avenue and Adams Street. He was taken by the Bellwood Fire Department to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation now centers on a series of questions authorities have not publicly answered, including where Garcia was shot, what happened inside or around the vehicle described by callers and what connection, if any, existed between the teenager and the three people taken into custody.
Police have not identified the three people being held or said whether any of them are considered suspects. No criminal charges had been publicly announced as of Thursday, and investigators have not released a possible motive. Being taken into custody does not by itself mean a person has been charged with a crime.
Initial reports to police said the teenager had been shot and thrown from a car. Authorities have not provided additional details confirming the precise sequence of events or said whether investigators have identified the vehicle involved. Police also have not said where the shooting itself is believed to have occurred.
There is also a minor difference in how authorities have identified the location tied to the case. Bellwood police placed their response at 22nd Avenue and Adams Street, while the Cook County medical examiner’s office listed the incident at 22nd Avenue and Van Buren Street. Officials have not publicly explained the difference.
Police said detectives were processing the scene and interviewing witnesses as the investigation began Tuesday. The department has not publicly detailed what evidence was recovered or whether search warrants have produced additional information that could clarify the events leading to Garcia’s death.
Garcia was a Willowbrook High School student who played soccer and wrestled, according to his brother. His brother said Garcia also enjoyed music and spending time with friends. He had seen Garcia only hours before the shooting and described the teenager’s death as a shock to the family.
The case remained under investigation Thursday. Authorities had not announced charges, identified a suspected shooter or released a fuller account of Garcia’s final hours, leaving the circumstances of the fatal shooting unresolved.
Author note: Last updated October 22, 2026.