Shot By Joliet Police In April, Jamal Smith Dies At 31: Report

JOLIET, IL — Five months after Joliet police shot Jamal Smith in the neck, leaving him gravely wounded, the Joliet domestic violence and shooting suspect died Friday in Cook County, according to a story published by The Herald-News, Joliet's print newspaper.

On April 11, Joliet Patch reported that the 31-year-old Smith was fighting for his life. He was airlifted to the Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, after Joliet police officers shot him in the neck during a weekend domestic disturbance. He also suffered at least one more gunshot wound.

At the time, a source told Joliet Patch the shooting was captured on video, including body camera footage from the two Joliet police officers involved in shooting at Smith. It was unclear whether one or both of the officers shot Smith.

The source said the shooting happened "within seconds" of the first two Joliet police officers, who were partners, arriving at the apartment complex disturbance call around 4:45 a.m.

Smith fired his gun first, shooting in the direction of the woman he was in a loud argument with, according to the source. A news release issued by Joliet police hours after the shooting said that officers discharged their weapons after they "encountered a male adult actively firing a handgun."

Both shootings happened outside.

Smith was standing near apartment 931, and he was firing his gun toward the woman near the doorway of apartment 935, the source noted. Smith's gunshots did not strike the woman.

"We don't know where his shots went," the source said. "He was firing at her, at the baby's mother, and the gun was still present laying next to him at the scene after he was shot, and that's all on camera as well."

Joliet Patch asked its source whether they believe the Joliet police shooting was justified.
"Oh, absolutely," the source replied. "The shooting appears to be justified."

In 2022, Patch reported that the two federal lawsuits filed in 2020 against Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk and members of the Joliet Police Department in connection with the controversial arrests of Victor Williams and Jamal Smith has resulted in out of court settlements of $93,000.

The incident involving O'Dekirk's confrontation with Smith and Williams happened following the May 31, 2020, Black Lives Matter demonstration near the White Castle restaurant on Larkin Avenue and Jefferson Street.

Smith is now the second person who has died this year from injuries after being shot by the Joliet police. On July 17, Victor Harris, age 29, died after authorities said Harris pointed his gun at two Joliet police officers responding to a shooting incident along Bennett Avenue near Elmwood Avenue on the city's east side during daylight.

Joliet Patch previously reported that when Joliet police officers saw him in the street and ordered him to drop his gun, Harris pointed his handgun at them.

"He pointed the gun at the officers," a source told Joliet Patch last month. Harris died of his gunshots from Joliet police one day later.