Loaded Gun In Joliet Child's Shooting Leads To Arrest

JOLIET, IL — More than a week after a 2-year-old Joliet boy from the 300 block of Comstock Street discovered an unsecured loaded Glock handgun inside his mother's house and shot himself in the face, Joliet fugitive Sensei Bennett is now behind bars at the Will County Jail.

Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English issued a press release late Thursday morning, announcing new details of the case, plus an update on the little boy's condition.

Bennett was captured around 10 a.m. Thursday at a house in Morris by the U.S. Marshals task force, and he's now in the Will County Jail. Bennett faces six criminal charges including unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, endangering the life or health of a child, reckless conduct, unlawful possession of cannabis and unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver.

"During the course of this investigation, Detectives identified Bennett as the owner of the unsecured handgun. Bennett was determined to be the boyfriend of the child’s mother," English announced Thursday.

Back on Sept. 27, the 2-year-old boy found Bennett's gun inside the house on Comstock and shot himself with it, according to police.

English said the 2-year-old gunshot victim remains hospitalized at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, where his condition has somewhat improved, and medical staff remains hopeful that the child will continue to make progress.

Bennett's bail was set at $200,000.