Gunfire At Joliet's Pilcher Park Leads To Arrest

JOLIET, IL — A 37-year-old Joliet man who lives on Ivy Street remains in the Will County Jail this week, facing a $100,000 bail, after Joliet police say Michael Carpenter sitting inside of his Jeep was and firing a gun at the Joliet Park District's sprawling Pilcher Park property.

The incident happened around 4 p.m. Tuesday. Carpenter was hauled away in handcuffs, charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, reckless discharge of a gun and having no FOID.

Pilcher Park is located at 2501 Highland Park Drive on Joliet's far east side, toward New Lenox.

After Joliet police were sent to Pilcher Park to investigate a report of a man shooting his gun from a Jeep, officers located a vehicle and a man that both matched the suspect’s description, police spokesman Dwayne English indicated.

"Officers conducted a traffic stop on the Jeep and identified the driver as Carpenter," English said. "Carpenter indicated that a handgun was inside the vehicle and admitted to officers that he fired the gun while in the park to test fire it."

English said his agency's officers recovered a loaded 9 mm handgun from inside the Jeep. While searching, Carpenter, officers recovered 9 mm ammunition and then his Jeep got towed from the scene, English noted.