Joliet man faces additional charges in connection to shooting of 6-year-old boy
JOLIET, Ill. - A Joliet man faces additional charges after a six-year-old boy was shot in the arm in September.
At about 5:03 p.m. on Sept. 25, Joliet police officers responded to the 500 block of West Bellarmine Drive for multiple calls of shots fired.
Upon arrival, police located a six-year-old boy suffering from a gunshot wound to the arm.
Officers rendered aid to the child before he was transported to an area hospital. He was later released.
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While investigating the shooting, officers located multiple residences and vehicles struck by gunfire.
Additionally, officers learned that a white Kia sedan was a suspect vehicle in the shooting.
Officers located the Kia in the area of North Scott Street and East Clay Street and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle. The vehicle refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued, police said.
The vehicle eventually crashed in the 300 block of Mills Road.
Five suspects were in the vehicle, including 18-year-old Darrell Harris Jr.
All five suspects were taken into custody.
A rifle and a handgun were recovered from the vehicle.
Harris was taken to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and was then released on Oct. 1.
He was then processed at the Joliet Police Department and transported to the Will County Adult Detention Facility for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of ammunition and no FOID.
Joliet police launched an extensive investigation into this incident and identified Harris as a suspect in the shooting.
Harris was already in jail when detectives secured an arrest warrant Friday for additional charges that included aggravated battery, aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated assault.
"I am very proud of the Detectives' dedication and perseverance in pursuing this case, and we wish the young victim of this horrible act nothing but the best. The Joliet Police Department will never relent in its pursuit of those who prey on our most defenseless residents. We appreciate the Will County Sheriff's Office's help in this matter," said Joliet Police Chief William Evans.
A Will County Judge issued a bail of $500,000 to the arrest warrant.