Man Gets 24 Years In Villa Park Amusement Park Shooting: Prosecutors

VILLA PARK, IL – A Chicago man was sentenced to 24 years in prison for shooting another man in 2021 at an indoor amusement park in Villa Park, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Meco Norris, 30, has remained in the DuPage County Jail since the shooting.

The incident occurred in the early evening of Nov. 13, 2021, at Safari Land amusement park, 701 W. North Ave., police said.

Norris fired shots at the victim three times, once in the chest, once in the right shoulder and once in the right elbow, according to DuPage County prosecutors. Norris concealed the gun near homes behind Safari Land and left the area, but was arrested the next day at his house, police said.

The victim was taken to a local hospital and released later that evening, prosecutors said. Both men were attending a birthday party.

“In my 38 years as a prosecutor, Mr. Norris' actions are among the most egregious displays of disregard for public safety I have ever seen," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a news release. "With dozens of young children just feet away, I shudder to think of the potential loss of life Mr. Norris' actions could have caused."

Norris must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence before being eligible for parole. In other words, he won't be released until 2046, when he is in his early 50s.