Woman, 34, Shot In Shoulder By 'Dancing Man' At Bar On Gardner: Cops

JOLIET, IL — Bail for John Foster Jr., a 42-year-old Joliet man, has been set at $500,000 in connection with a Memorial Day shooting at 630 Gardner Street on Joliet's east side, at the Terrace Inn Lounge. The bar's 76-year-old owner was also arrested on Memorial Day in connection with another shooting on bar property that happened almost two years ago.

According to Foster's criminal complaint, he shot the woman in her shoulder on May 29 and the crime was investigated by the Will County Sheriff's Office. Foster is charged with aggravated battery, unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, reckless discharge of a gun and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

Foster's complaint indicates he does not have a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card, and Foster has a 2006 felony conviction in Will County home invasion.

On Wednesday afternoon, Will County Sheriff's spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer provided Joliet Patch with the following details that led to the arrest of Foster as well as Lionel Norris, the 76-year-old owner of the Terrace Inn, which in Joliet Township and barely outside the city of Joliet's limits:

• Around 2:15 a.m., sheriff's deputies learned of gunshots fired at the Terrace Inn.
• Deputies saw a bald man dancing at the entrance of the parking lot and several people leaving the business. Deputies attempted to enter the business, but the door was locked. At that time, the patrons in the parking lot advised that the dancing man was the person who had been shooting inside.
• Deputies ran a background on Foster and found he had two outstanding Will County warrants. Police said he was arrested and taken to the hospital after informing deputies he was under the influence of illegal narcotics. He was later booked into the Will County Jail.
• Deputies were unable to locate any victims at first. They secured the scene and were then allowed inside the business, where they spoke to the owner and several people inside.
• Multiple bullet casings were recovered and a large amount of blood was near the bar area, according to police. Deputies spoke to the owner and other witnesses, who stated that Foster frequents the establishment and had come in alone.
• Foster was standing near the pool table area when he took a gun out and began shooting it into the floor, according to police. The owner approached Foster and while he was guiding Foster to the front door, Foster shot the gun several times in random directions but was not aiming it at anyone specifically, according to the report.
• A 34-year-old woman who was lying on the ground for safety was shot in the left arm. She left the scene prior to sheriff's deputies' arrival and was brought to the hospital.
• She was later airlifted to Loyola and her condition is unknown, according to officials.
• The owner of the Terrace Inn, Lionel Norris, age 76, of Joliet, was also brought into custody on a failure to appear warrant.

Will County Jail logs indicate that Foster lives in Champaign, but more reliable court records show he actually lives in the 900 block of West Park Avenue. Foster also spent time in the Will County Jail facing criminal charges in 2019 and twice in 2017.

As part of this week's bail, Foster was notified that he must stay away from the woman he is accused of shooting, and he must not patronize the Terrace Lounge Inn in the event he comes up with the necessary $50,000 cash to regain his freedom while awaiting trial.

Foster's next hearing will take place June 23 before Will County Judge Dave Carlson in Courtroom 405.

Bar owner arrested in 2021 shooting

Will County court records indicate that Terrace Inn owner Lionel Norris was indicted May 2 in connection with a July 2021 shooting at the Gardner Street bar. Norris, of the 1000 block of Harrison Avenue, is charged with three felonies: reckless discharge of a firearm and two counts of criminal damage to property.

The criminal complaint alleges that on July 18, 2021, Norris discharged his gun at multiple people and shot a Chevy Tahoe, causing $500 to $10,000 in property damage. No one was injured by the gunfire, which was also investigated by the Will County Sheriff's Office.

Jail records indicate that Norris was booked into the Will County Adult Detention Facility on Memorial Day and released the same day on $1,000 bail.