U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced the arrests of individuals involved in a mass shooting that occurred on December 2, 2024, at a house party in Chicago. The event, which was attended mainly by Venezuelan nationals, resulted in multiple injuries and three fatalities. Authorities suspect the perpetrators were members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
Ricardo Granadillo Padilla, a 25-year-old Venezuelan national, was apprehended on February 8 by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago and Raleigh, along with other law enforcement agencies including the U.S. Border Patrol Tactical Unit and the U.S. Marshals Service in Raleigh, North Carolina. Granadillo Padilla is currently in federal custody after being sentenced for illegally entering the United States near El Paso, Texas in 2022. His residence in Chicago was searched in January 2025, resulting in the seizure of multiple firearms, high-capacity magazines, narcotics, and fraudulent documents. During his arrest in North Carolina, authorities also confiscated a pistol and ammunition.
Another individual involved is Edward Martinez Cermeno, aged 24 and also from Venezuela. He was arrested on January 26 by ICE HSI Chicago and the CBP Office of Border Patrol in Schaumburg, Illinois. Initially released following a federal detention hearing, Martinez Cermeno was re-arrested by ICE HSI Chicago on administrative immigration charges for illegal presence in the United States. He faces criminal charges related to illegal entry into the country near Eagle Pass, Texas in 2023.
In addition to these arrests, sixteen other members or associates of the Tren de Aragua gang have been detained by ICE HSI Chicago over recent weeks on immigration charges within both Chicago and Raleigh areas.
The public is encouraged to report crimes or suspicious activities by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing an online tip form.
For more information about ICE’s mission to enhance public safety, visit their social media platform X at @HSIChicago.
