Two Charged In Aurora Wendy's Shooting, Hijacking

AURORA, IL—A public tip led to the arrest of two people, including one juvenile, who have been charged with shooting and paralyzing a mother of two during an Aurora carjacking in January.

The 47 year-old victim, Kim Weibring, was shot in the spine, then pulled out of her vehicle and tossed to the ground by several men on Jan. 16 as she ate a meal in the parking lot of a Wendy’s fast-food restaurant in Aurora, 1200 block of North Orchard Road.

Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman expressed her discontent with the suspects, one of whom was 15 years old at the time of the offense, while praising her law enforcement team for their diligence in the case.

“(Kim) represents all of us who move through the world each day without harming anyone. Who, in a moment’s notice, become a victim of a violent crime at the hands of heartless evil-doers,” Ziman stated during a Thursday morning press conference.

On the evening of the shooting, officers found not only their victim, but a parked 2011 Ford Escape that was very low on gas in the restaurant parking lot. Detectives learned the vehicle had been taken during a previous hijacking in DeKalb County and that the suspects in that incident were possibly involved in other violent hijackings in the Chicago Metro area.

Because of the severity of the crime, police said the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office is petitioning to have the juvenile, now 16, charged as an adult.

On Wednesday, April 21, Aurora Police detectives took the teen into custody in Harvey. The case was reviewed with the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office and the following felony charges were authorized:

• One felony count of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm (Class X)
• One felony count of Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking (Class X)
• One felony could of Armed Violence (Class X)
• Two felony counts of Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (Class 2)
• One felony count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon (Class 3)
• One felony count of Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon (Class 4)

A second man, James McGee, 26, of Harvey is facing similar felony charges for his alleged part in the crime. He has been charged with:

• One felony count of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm (Class X)
• One felony count of Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking (Class X)
• One felony could of Armed Violence (Class X)
• Two felony counts of Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (Class 2)

Aurora Police Detectives said a third suspect in the Wendy’s hijacking was shot and killed in Lansing. They are actively working to identify and charge a fourth suspect involved in the restaurant shooting.

“I am so proud of our detectives who refused to rest until they were able to bring justice to Kimberly Weibring and the many other victims,” Chief Ziman said. “Kimberly is lucky to be alive, but she has lost so much because of blatant disregard for life and humanity. This incident has strengthened the resolve of all of us in law enforcement and our commitment to justice.”

Detectives thanked the tipster who phoned in the lead which led to the arrest of both suspects.

“There is no us, there is no them, there is only we, and that’s a great example in this incident,” Ziman said proudly.

A GoFundMe page for Kimberly has already raised more than $240,000.