Homeless Man Cuts Up Meat Inside Joliet Grocer

JOLIET, IL - A 22-year-old man was taken to Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center to undergo a mental health evaluation after Monday's disturbing incident inside the Gonzales Supermarket, 600 block of Collins Street. Around 10:40 a.m. the man, who authorities note was homeless, walked into the east-side grocery store and went straight to the meat department. He walked behind the counter and picked up a large knife and started chopping up large sections of meat. Employees were terrified.

One woman ran into one of the rooms, locked the doors and called Joliet police. As officers responded to the call, the man started to emerge from the supermarket. However, he was no longer armed with any of the meat cutting knives. Inside the business, police discovered that the man had chopped up a large amount of meat. To explain his actions, police said, the young man told the officers that he was suicidal. He was taken to the hospital to undergo a mental health evaluation. However, he is being charged with two misdemeanor crimes over the incident, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass to property, police said.