5 Joliet Police Arrests, 3 Guns Taken By Cops After Disturbance: JPD

JOLIET, IL — A total of five people were hauled away in handcuffs by Joliet police officers on the city's southeast side over the weekend. The incident several guns, social media posts and people running for cars hoping to escape the presence of Joliet police, according to their arrest reports.

Jacob Pitts, age 19, of Bolingbrook wound up in inside the Will County Adult Detention Facility on lots of charges:

• Aggravated unlawful use of a weapon
• Unlawful possession of ammunition
• Aggravated assault
• Obstructing a peace officer
• Possession of Firearm with No FOID Card
• Disorderly Conduct.

A person much older than Pitts, 44-year-old Joliet resident Juan Ramos-Flores, was also arrested, processed, and released on a notice to appear for charges of obstructing a peace officer and resisting a peace officer.

And there were three juvenile arrests, so their names are not being released at this stage.

A 16-year-old boy went to the River Valley Justice Center on charges of unlawful use of a weapon, obstructing a peace officer, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm with no FOID card and a Will County arrest warrant.

A 17-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy were both arrested and released to their respective parents on charges of obstructing a peace officer.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, the following events unfolded around 9:40 a.m. Saturday:

Officers responded to the area of Fourth Avenue and Richards Street for a disturbance that involved a gun. At a house in the 300 block of Richards, a 42-year-old man confronted his 14-year-old daughter about a social media post related to a gun.

Pitts, as well as the 16-year-old boy, and two 17-year-old girls were in the house as well. The 16-year-old boy and Pitts tried to fight the victim and the disturbance continued outside in front of the home when Pitts threatened the victim and pointed a handgun at him, police noted.

An officer spotted Pitts and the three juveniles walking near Fourth Avenue and Grover Street. All four ran, and a perimeter was established. Later, Pitts and the two 17-year-old girls were located and taken into custody.

Joliet police say they recovered live ammunition from Pitts' pocket.

Meanwhile, the 16-year-old boy tried to enter the passenger side of a running vehicle in the 300 block of Eastern Avenue when he was taken into custody. The 16-year-old had an active Will County arrest warrant for missing court on previous charges.

The vehicle was owned by Ramos-Flores, who was seated in the driver’s seat. Ramos-Flores exited his vehicle and refused multiple commands from Joliet police, who were investigating the involvement of Ramos-Flores in this incident.

Ramos-Flores began to struggle and pull away from the officers trying to detain him. Ramos-Flores was then placed into custody.

"It is believed that Ramos-Flores was not involved in the original incident," English announced.

In all, three guns were recovered following a K9 search of the area in which Pitts and the three juveniles fled.

"After further investigation, it was believed that two of the handguns were previously possessed by Pitts and the 16-year-old boy," English announced in Monday's press release.