Two people were arrested in connection with a murder-for-hire shooting in Beach Park earlier this week, the Lake County Sheriff's Office announced on Saturday.

Just before 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Lake County Sheriff's deputies learned from Waukegan police that a shooting victim had been taken to the hospital.

The victim, identified as a 46-year-old Beach Park man, was shot just outside his home in the 38400 block of North Sheridan Road around 5:20 a.m. The office said the victim was shot while inside his vehicle just before heading to work. 

A relative drove him to the Vista East Medical Center for help. The victim was then flown to a Level-1 Trauma Center and remains hospitalized in extremely critical condition, according to the office.

During the investigation, sheriff's detectives determined a suspicious vehicle was seen slowly driving through the area on Tuesday. Sheriff's detectives found the vehicle after reviewing video surveillance from the neighborhood and confirmed the license plate through the Flock Safety license plate reader network. It was confirmed that the vehicle was in the area at the time of the shooting.

Lake County Sheriff's detectives notified area law enforcement, including the Mount Pleasant Police Department, that the vehicle was possibly used in the attempted homicide where the registered owner was believed to live. 

On Thursday, the Mount Pleasant police officers found the owner of the vehicle, identified as Cristian N. Ruval-Cavatorres, 28, of Mount Pleasant, driving a different car.  A traffic stop was conducted, and Ruval-Cavatorres was taken into custody.

After speaking with Ruval-Cavatorres, Lake County detectives determined that he was responsible for the shooting. They also discovered evidence indicating Ruval-Cavatorres was hired by someone to shoot and kill the victim.  

Sheriff's detectives conducted a search warrant and recovered the gun believed to have been used in the crime, and a telephone Ruval-Cavatorres likely used to communicate with the person who hired him.

Ruval-Cavatorres was charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and aggravated discharge of a firearm. He remains held in the Racine County Jail, pending extradition to Lake County.

Sheriff's detectives also found the person who hired Ruval-Cavatorres in the 1600 block of Park Avenue, North Chicago, on Thursday, around 1:30 p.m.  He was taken into custody and currently remains in custody, with charges pending.

No further information was released.