Shot Fired During Carjacking Attempt In Downers Grove; 4 Charged

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Four people are in custody after an armed carjacking attempt in Downers Grove in which a shot was fired in the direction of a resident. The incident took place around 4:15 a.m. Wednesday in the 7400 block of Webster, according to a news release from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.

Police say Lamourice Shepherd, 21, and Dywane Hendricks, 21, and two juveniles have been charged with attempted aggravated carjacking in connection with the incident.

According to police, the resident was warming up their car in a garage when a car pulled up and turned off its headlights. Two men then got out of the other car and started to approach the resident's car, but were confronted by two residents who came out of the home.

Police say the men then went back to their car and pointed a gun in the direction of the home's female resident before firing a shot and fleeing.

The car was spotted shortly after by Darien Police in Darien, police say, but it did not stop. Darien police pursued the car until it got onto northbound I-55. Illinois State Police then followed the car into Chicago, where it crashed at Martin Luther King Drive, and all four suspects were taken into custody, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.

In a statement, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said, "In the past several weeks we have seen a significant increase in vehicular hijackings in DuPage County. The common thread exhibited by all these defendants is the complete disregard and disdain for the rule of law and our justice system. In DuPage County, however, we do not share their indifference. Public safety remains a top priority of not only my office, but of law enforcement throughout the County."

Shepherd and Hendricks were also charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle and aggravated discharge of a firearm. Hendricks is currently being held on $500,000 bond, and Shepherd is being held on $750,000 bond. Both men are set to appear in court again on March 2.