Shots fired reports lead police to arrest Momence man

MOMENCE – Kankakee County Sheriff’s police arrested Stephen N. Nelson, 41, of Momence after he allegedly fired multiple rounds from a firearm in the backyard of his residence in the 11000 block of East Parrish Street Friday.

At approximately 12:01 a.m. Friday, deputies were dispatched to the area of Bennett Street for a report of shots fired, Kankakee County Sheriff’s police said in a report.

Deputies talked to three people walking in the area of Keyser and Cedar Streets. They reported hearing shots coming from the northeast of their current location.

The shots appeared to be coming from a residence that had a bonfire burning in the backyard in the 11000 block of East Parrish Street, police said.

Officers located an area they believed to be where the shots originated from and went to the residence in the 11000 block of Parrish Street that had a bonfire in the backyard, police said.

They talked to 41-year-old Nelson, who was in his backyard. A police report said they observed Nelson to be highly intoxicated. He denied the shots came from him and invited officers to look in his backyard. The officers declined and left the scene.

Kancomm dispatch took another report of shots fired coming from the same area as the first shots, police said.

Again, officers went to Nelson’s residence. He invited them to check his backyard a second time, police said.

During that search, officers did not find anything in the yard but when they got close to a window of the house, Nelson became concerned and demanded they not look in the window, police said.

Nelson was arrested following statements he made and a search of the residence, allowed by Nelson’s wife, located a weapon and spent shell casings, police said.

According to court records, the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s office charged Nelson with discharging a firearm endangering people (Class 4 felony) and reckless conduct (Class A misdemeanor).