The Waukegan Police Department is looking for a 21-year-old man who is an active Navy member stationed at Great Lakes Naval Base.
Seamus Gray was last seen on camera near Sheridan Road and Washington Street after leaving the Ibiza Bar on North Genesee Street by himself around 1:35 a.m. on March 18.
Surveillance video shows him leaving the bar and walking along the lakefront. Gray failed to report to the naval base before his 2 a.m. curfew, according to detectives.
“I would like everybody’s help to find my son. I’ve arrived. I’m going through dumpsters looking for my son,” said Karry Gray, who traveled from Florida after the Navy notified her about her son’s disappearance. “That’s my boy. That’s my son’s role model. He’s never, ever going to leave me or his family. So anybody who can help, please come forward. I really appreciate it.”
Gray was escorted out of Ibiza Bar, according to Ibiza Bar representatives, because he was inebriated. However, Adrian Hernandez, the manager of Ibiza Bar, stated that the service member was escorted from the premises with his friends.
Waukegan Deputy Chief Brian Mullen explained why authorities focused their attention near the lakefront on Thursday.
“The video released last night showed Seamus leaving the bar. After he left the bar, he proceeded to the intersection a little east of the bar at Washington Street and Sheridan (Road),” Mullen said. “Overnight, we received some more video from some of the businesses at the marinas that showed Seamus right on the water’s edge. So we focused our efforts on searching the water today.”
On Wednesday, crews searched along the water, according to Mullen.
Despite the fact that search and rescue efforts have been called for the day, Mullen refuses to call the operation a recovery mission. Instead, he stated that authorities would meet again on Friday morning.
“The area on land that we searched today was extended all the way up to Greenwood Avenue and all the way down to the southern border of Waukegan on the lakefront,” Mullen said. “Tomorrow, we’re going to move a little bit more south toward North Chicago. Obviously, the Navy base is in that direction, so we want to try to cover some ground between here and the Navy base in case he tried to head in that direction on foot.”
Gray was described by police as 6-foot-3-inches tall, 170 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a long-sleeved light pink/red shirt and pants. Gray has several tattoos on his left arm, as well as a script tattoo on his ribcage.
Lake County is assisting Waukegan police in their search. Mullens also stated that the Navy would assist with the search efforts on Friday.
“There are three things my son lives for: he lives for his family, he lives for God, and he lives for his country,” Karry Gray said. “He came here to fight for his country and now he is missing.”
Anyone with information about Gray’s whereabouts should contact the Waukegan Police Investigations Division at 847-599-2673. Anonymous tips can also be left by calling 847-360-9001, texting WPDTIP and a message to 847411, or clicking here or here.
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