Man Shot Near Taco Truck: Sheriff

JOLIET, IL - The Will County Sheriff's Department has an uphill climb in trying to nab the three men involved in Thursday night's shooting at the Ranch Liquors parking lot in Joliet Township's Preston Heights area. Sheriff's spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer told Joliet Patch on Friday morning that the shooting victim, a 44-year-old Joliet native, is being uncooperative with sheriff's detectives who are trying to capture the men responsible for the non-fatal shooting.

The violent crime happened around 8:30 p.m., in the parking lot of the Ranch Liquors, 1913 South Chicago Street. The victim was in line at the taco truck when a man approached him, calling out his name. Suddenly, another man emerged, drawing his loaded gun and firing. One of his bullets struck the 44-year-old Joliet man in his leg. The second bullet struck the taco truck, Hoffmeyer said.

The two men then ran from the taco truck as fast as they could. They hopped into their getaway car, a red Cadillac, waiting for them nearby. The three men sped off before the Will County Sheriff's deputies and East Joliet Fire Department's ambulance arrived to attend to the gunshot victim, bleeding in the parking lot.

The victim was taken to St. Joe's hospital, and he is expected to recover, Hoffmeyer said.

"It was apparent that they knew each other," she said.

Will County Sheriff's investigators believe the shooting was gang-related, Hoffmeyer noted.

Later on, sheriff's police recovered the getaway car, Hoffmeyer said.

It was left by a church near Pico Court and Sehring Street. The getaway car was seized by sheriff's police as evidence. However, no arrests have been made as of late Friday morning.

"It remains an open investigation but the victim is not cooperating," Hoffmeyer said.

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