3 teens charged after 6-year-old grazed by bullet in Joliet

JOLIET, Ill. - Three teens were charged after a boy was grazed by a bullet in Joliet Sunday afternoon.

At about 5:38 p.m. Sunday, Joliet police officers responded to the 500 block of Bellarmine Drive West for a report of shots fired.

When officers arrived, they located a 6-year-old boy, who appeared to have a grazed gunshot wound to his right arm, police said.

The child was transported to an area hospital for treatment.

While investigating, officers found numerous spent shell casings in the street.

It was determined that two unoccupied parked vehicles and three apartments nearby were struck by gunfire.

No other victims were located.  

After conducting an extensive canvas of the area, authorities were able to identify a suspect vehicle that was involved in the shooting.

Shortly after, the vehicle was located near North Scott Street and Clay Street.

Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the driver fled at a high rate of speed.

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A pursuit ensued to the area near Larkin Avenue and Interstate 80, police said.

The driver fled onto eastbound I-80, and eventually exited on Briggs Street.

While the driver was southbound on Briggs Street near Mills Road, the fleeing driver lost control of the vehicle when he attempted to pass a vehicle.

The fleeing vehicle struck a tree on the side of the roadway, police said.

It was determined that there were five males in the vehicle at the time of the crash, ranging in age from 16 to 18 years old.

The five were transported to area hospitals for their injuries.

A rifle and a handgun were recovered from the vehicle.

A 17-year-old boy was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, and a 16-year-old was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of ammunition and no FOID.

Darrell Harris, 18, of Joliet, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of ammunition and no FOID.

All three teens remain hospitalized with serious injuries.