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A Waukegan restaurant owner died following a stabbing during a gender reveal party at his steakhouse in the far northern suburb, authorities said.
At around 11:27 p.m. on Saturday night, Waukegan police officers and firefighters responded to Forty One Fourteen Steaks and Seafood, 2120 N. Green Bay Rd., by a caller who reported someone had been stabbed during an argument and the suspect ran away, officials stated.
First responders located the victim, who was identified as 51-year-old Joshua Kirkwood of Waukegan. Kirkwood sustained numerous stab wounds, including to his wrist, back and right side, according to court documents. He was transported to an area hospital and pronounced deceased.
An autopsy conducted at the Lake County Coroner's Office determined Kirkwood died from multiple sharp force injuries.
The Lake County State's Attorney's Office announced Monday three counts of murder had been filed against Iziah Gonzalez in connection with the stabbing death. Following the stabbing, Gonzalez arrived at a hospital's emergency department, seeking treatment for a stab wound.
A woman also sustained a stab wound to the leg and was located on the scene by police, authorities said.
Following the incident, Waukegan police spoke to two minor employees who were working at the time of the stabbing.
One employee said the woman - an employee of the establishment - was having a "heated discussion" with Kirkwood inside his office, according to a court complaint. The witness stated the woman's 16-year-old son was upstairs and heard the two arguing. The individual then told police the teen said he was going to go downstairs to get his brother and kill Kirkwood, court documents stated.
The teen returned upstairs with his brother, Gonzalez, then pulled out a "big kitchen knife" and stabbed Kirkwood before the two ran across the street, according to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office. The knife, which was covered in blood, was later located by police on the kitchen island.
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A second employee told police after his brother stabbed Kirkwood, Gonzalez said, "Why'd you do that? I had him," court documents showed. That employee said they believed the teenager stabbed Kirkwood two times.
Following the incident, police spoke to Gonzalez, who said he and his wife had rented out the basement of the steakhouse for a gender reveal party. Gonzalez stated at some point during the party, he saw someone arguing with his mother - but didn't observe any sort of physical altercation, court documents revealed. Gonzalez said he approached the individual and "next thing he knew he was fighting with numerous people and people were pulling them apart," according to the court complaint.
Gonzalez, who was bleeding from his hand following the incident, said he didn't know what the person arguing with his mother looked like - and he claimed not to remember where inside the restaurant the incident occurred.
In a later conversation with detectives, Gonzalez said his teenage brother came down to the area where the party was taking place and said that their mother and Kirkwood were arguing. The two went to where the argument was taking place, and Kirkwood said he would "throw hands" with both the teenager and Gonzalez -- and for everyone to leave, according to court documents. Kirkwood then took a step toward them, when Gonzalez grabbed Kirkwood by the front of his shirt, and a fight began.
When the fight ended, Gonzalez said he saw his teenage brother drop a knife - and noticed injuries to his hand and fingers. Gonzalez told police he and his brother drove to the hospital, and from there his brother walked away.
According to documents, Gonzalez told police Kirkwood and his mother had been dating a "long time" and that Kirkwood physically abused her. In the hours following the stabbing, police officers went to the home of the teenager's grandfather, who said he arrived home afterward but left at around 1 a.m.
As of Monday evening, it remained unclear if the teenager was arrested.
NBC Chicago has decided not to name the woman who was stabbed since she wasn't charged with a crime.
