Longshots Disturbance Causes Parking Lot Mayhem, Woman Admits Firing Her Gun Into Air: Police

JOLIET, IL — The Joliet Police Department revealed that a gunfire incident in the wee hours of the morning at the Longshots Sports Bar parking lot has led to the capture and criminal charges for two women, one from Bolingbrook and the other from Joliet.

According to police spokesman Dwayne English, at 2:32 a.m. on Sunday, an officer conducting patrol in the parking lot of Longshots Sports Bar at 1609 W. Jefferson St. heard a loud noise coming from the south side of the parking lot and saw several people running toward the entrance of the business while indicating that a woman had a gun.

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The officer immediately responded to the area and encountered a woman, later identified as 36-year-old Latisha Roberts of Bolingbrook, entering a Chevrolet Tahoe while holding what appeared to be an object in her hand, English noted. The officer issued commands for Roberts to exit the vehicle, and she eventually complied before being detained without incident.

Separately, as the officers tried to secure the scene, a large disturbance involving multiple people broke out in the parking lot. During the incident, officers saw a woman, later identified as 29-year-old Dontaysia Stephens of Joliet, strike a man in the face, English said.

During the altercation, police said unknown individuals threw glass bottles that struck the same man, causing injuries to his face and head. The man was transported to St. Joseph Medical Center by the Joliet Fire Department for treatment.

English said Stephens later entered a vehicle and allegedly refused repeated commands to exit. Officers
even tried to remove Stephens from the vehicle, but she resisted efforts to take her into custody and ran through the parking lot. Officers quickly apprehended Stephens after a brief foot chase and placed her into custody.

During the investigation, police said officers recovered a loaded 9mm handgun from inside the center console area of the Chevrolet Tahoe after Roberts provided consent to retrieve the gun.

"Roberts admitted to discharging the handgun during the disturbance, and it is believed the firearm was fired into the air," English said.

Roberts was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. She was processed at the Joliet Police Department and transported to the Will
County Adult Detention Facility. Stephens was charged with battery, obstructing a peace officer and resisting a peace
Officer. She was processed at the Joliet Police Department and released on a notice to appear in court.