Two injured in east Kankakee shooting

Two people suffered gunshot wounds outside Crestlane Apartments in east Kankakee after an argument Thursday evening that began with a fight about parking spaces.

Kankakee police said officers responded about 11:30 p.m. Thursday to a report of shots fired. Upon arriving at the location just off East Court Street, they were informed that two people – a 9-year-old boy and a woman – had been hit by gunfire.

The boy was shot in the hip, and the woman was shot in the leg.

Both victims had been taken to a Kankakee hospital by a private vehicle before police arrived.

The boy later was flown to a Chicago hospital. The woman remains hospitalized as of Friday.

The injuries were not considered life-threatening.

A preliminary investigation revealed that a dispute regarding a parking space between apartment residents had taken place at 200 Crestlane Drive.

The argument escalated into a fight involving multiple people. At some point during the fight, a gun was fired.

Two people were detained for questioning, and a gun was recovered at a nearby apartment. Authorities also learned that the resident of the apartment where the gun was found did not have a valid firearm owner’s identification card.

The investigation remains ongoing. Police are reviewing surveillance footage and completing additional interviews.

“This is a reckless act of violence that endangered numerous lives, including that of a young child,” Kankakee Police Chief Chris Kidwell said in a news release. “Our officers responded swiftly, secured the scene and worked through the night to identify those responsible.”

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the Kankakee Police Department at 815-933-0426 or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 815-932-7463.