Sushi Ya Closed, Man Charged In Restaurant Stabbing

JOLIET, IL — A 53-year-old Joliet man remains in the custody of the Will County Jail following Tuesday night's stabbing of one of the employees at the Sushi Ya restaurant on Joliet's West Jefferson Street. The Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow has charged Xiong Zheng with two felony counts of aggravated battery.

The criminal complaint states that Zheng knowingly caused bodily harm to Branden Bruzzo at Sushi Ya, "in that he struck Branden Bruzzo about the hand with a meat cleaver," on Jan. 7.

On Wednesday afternoon, Zheng appeared before Will County Judge Brian Barrett and his bail was set at $10,000. That means Zheng will regain his freedom once he posts 10 percent, which is $1,000. As of 7 p.m., he remained in the Will County Jail.

Joliet Police officers responded to the incident around 6:15 p.m., and the restaurant was subsequently closed early for the night, The Herald-News reported. The paper suggested he was one of the owners.

Sushi Ya is open seven days a week and normally opens at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays.

Joliet Patch visited the restaurant Wednesday and the doors were locked.

Other people also showed up, curious if the restaurant would be open for lunch in light of Tuesday night's crime. It was not.

Sushi Ya did not post any signs or messages informing customers when Sushi Ya intends to reopen. There was a sign with a phone number placed in one of the windows indicating that "we need a server and bus person."

Joliet Police officers delivered him to the county jail around 8 p.m. on Tuesday night.

The Herald-News reported on Wednesday night that Joliet Police charged Bruzzo, 32, with a misdemeanor count of battery. He is accused of being the instigator, touching the shoulder of the restaurant owner and then striking Zheng in the neck, the paper reported.