Joliet Police Kill Man After He Shoots At Officers: Sheriff

JOLIET, IL — For the second time in recent months, officers at the Joliet Police Department were involved in a deadly shooting. The Will County Sheriff's Department issued a statement shortly after 11 a.m. on Memorial Day announcing that Joliet Police officers shot and killed a man during a hostage situation after that man fired upon the Joliet Police first.

According to Will County, Joliet Police responded to a domestic violence call shortly after 4 a.m. in the 1200 block of Justice Lake Drive, and the residence was on fire. The incident happened in the Liberty Meadows subdivision, a Joliet Housing Authority development.

"Entry was made into the residence, and officers were confronted with a hostage situation," the statement reads. "The offender was armed with a handgun, and officers were fired upon by the offender. During the course of the incident, an officer fired at the offender.

"The offender was pronounced deceased at the scene, and the victim was transported to Silver Cross Hospital."

At the scene on Memorial Day, several people who were grieving and sharing hugs with one another told Patch that they were family members of the woman who lived at Liberty Meadows. Some of them said they were under the impression that the woman was dead. She and her boyfriend had lived together at the house on Justice Lake, the relatives told Patch.

"We all thought she died in her sleep; not murder," one woman told Patch. "They been together a long time."

Late Monday morning, a fire engine from Station 4 returned to the scene. The initial press release indicated that the house may have been set on fire by the man suspected of shooting at the Joliet Police officers.

At the scene, newly appointed Joliet Housing Authority commissioner Garland Mays told Patch that the Liberty Meadows housing development "is a beautiful place" and there are hardly any police calls to the development. Joliet Patch just published a story this spring about upcoming plans to add another 43 units to the development.

"Our hearts go out to the families involved," Mays told Patch. "Basically, this is a beautiful community. More information will be released from the Housing Authority once we get the full report."

The Will County Sheriff's news release stated that three officers were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. However, the press release does not specify whether any of the officers were shot.

A source later told Joliet Patch that one officer is believed to have suffered a gunshot wound, but the wound was not life-threatening.

Earlier in the day, Joliet Patch has reached out and left a message with Will County Sheriff's Office Deputy Chief Dan Jungles seeking clarification on a number of items he put in his press release.

In the last Joliet Police shooting, officers were also taken to the hospital as routine followup procedure.

The domestic violence victim was also taken to Silver Cross Hospital, and the press release statement issued by Jungles does not mention her condition.

"The identities of all parties involved are not being released at this time, pending notification to the family. The Will Grundy Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident, and further information will be forthcoming when appropriate," the statement read.

In February, Detective Aaron Bandy killed First Midwest bank robber Bruce Carter, 38, at Carter's mother's house on South Des Plaines Street. The shooting was justified, the major crimes task force determined, because Carter ran toward the detective armed with a sharp knife.

"Based upon the review and analysis of the police reports, witness statements, forensic tests, fingerprint analysis, Illinois law concerning the use of deadly force and the force option continuum, Detective Aaron Bandy was clearly justified in the use of deadly force," Joliet Police announced on May 7.