Man Killed By Cop Previously Pleaded Guilty To Murder: Sources

BRIDGEVIEW, IL — An Oak Lawn man shot by a Bridgeview police officer Tuesday night has died of his injuries. The man identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office as 32-year-old Joseph Jesk was an Army veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, had previously pleaded guilty to murder and was on parole for a drug charge at the time of his death.

Around 7 p.m. Tuesday, a Bridgeview police officer was called to investigate a retail theft at the Walmart at 103rd Street and Harlem Avenue. Police said Jesk's girlfriend was arrested for retail theft and placed in a patrol car while Jesk verbally harassed the officer. As the officer started to drive away, police said Jesk got back into his 2019 Ford Van and bumped the patrol car from behind. The plates on the van had been reported stolen out of New Lenox, police said.

As the officer got out to inspect hiscar for damage, Jesk got out of the van and pointed a gun at the officer, police said. Bridgeview police said in a news release the officer, fearing for his safety, pulled out his gun and shot Jesk twice. The critically wounded Jesk was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died a few hours later. A BB gun was taken into evidence at the scene.

Bridgeview police said the officer was not harmed but was being held for observation at the hospital.

A police source told Patch that Jesk had a troubled background. In February 2010, Jesk shot his wife, Heather Jesk, in the basement of the couple’s Oak Lawn home shortly after returning from a deployment in Iraq, according to news reports. He was charged with first-degree murder, but later pleaded guilty to an amended charge of second-degree murder. Jesk was sentenced to 17 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections but was required to serve only half his sentence, in addition to time served awaiting trial in Cook County Jail.

Oak Lawn police would not comment on Jesk's connection to the 2010 murder, referring inquiries to the Bridgeview Police Department .

Jesk was also arrested and charged with possession of crystal meth in January 2018. At the time of his arrest, he was still on parole for the second-degree murder rap, which has since been discharged, according to state records. At the time of his death Tuesday, state records indicated he was on parole for the drug charge, for which he had been sentenced to two years in prison.

Illinois State Police are assisting Bridgeview police in investigating the shooting.