Defendant seeks pretrial release in Joliet murder case where teen was shot 25 times

Defense attorneys have filed a motion for the first time that requests the pretrial release of a Markham man charged with the 2023 murder of a Joliet teen who was shot 25 times.

Will County Judge Sarah Jones may decide on April 22 whether to allow the pretrial release of Jaquan Blalock, 19, who is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Antoine Shropshire, 16, of Joliet.

Blalock was 17 at the time of the May 30, 2023, shooting, which took place in the 400 block of South Joliet Street.

Jones’ decision will depend on whether prosecutors can prove there are no conditions that can mitigate Blalock’s flight risk and his risk to the safety of the community.

A police investigation led to Blalock’s arrest Nov. 2, 2023. But his attorneys did not file a motion for his pretrial release under the SAFE-T Act until April 11.

Blalock’s attorneys with the Will County Public Defender’s Office contend in the motion that Blalock has the “means to appear in court,” and he will “abide by any conditions of release.”

However, prosecutors claim that Blalock poses a threat to witnesses and the community, according to a petition filed April 14.

Prosecutors consider Blalock a danger to the residents living on the south end of Joliet.

Prosecutors alleged that Blalock attempted to avoid suspicion after the fatal shooting.

They claimed that Blalock traveled on a train to Springfield under a false name. They also claimed that Blalock used Instagram to try to sell a gun similar to the one used in the shooting.

Prosecutors said the gun had a “switch and extended magazine.” Switches are devices commonly used to make handguns fire automatically.

Prosecutors alleged that Blalock tried to run away from officers who were trying to apprehend him on a warrant for his arrest.

Shropshire was killed on a public street “in daylight near a park with numerous adults and children nearby,” prosecutors said.

The shooting occurred close to a playground and the Warren-Sharpe Community Center.

Shropshire was shot 25 times, Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

A video of the shooting showed two people approaching Shropshire, prosecutors said.

The video showed that one of the two people had shot Shropshire with a gun, stood over Shropshire as he was on the ground and “unloaded his gun into him,” prosecutors said.

The other person “fired a gun at others in the area,” prosecutors said.

The petition from prosecutors suggests that there was an incident preceding the fatal shooting that may have a connection.

The incident involved a neighborhood youth complaining to several relatives and Blalock that “older boys were taking their Orbeez guns from them and shooting them with their Orbeez guns,” prosecutors said.

Orbeez guns are toy guns that shoot gel balls, and many models look just like real guns.

After Blalock’s arrest on the murder charge, he allegedly struck someone at River Valley Juvenile Detention Center in Joliet, prosecutors said.

“[Blalock] made a statement about the incident that it was ‘mob [expletive]’ and ‘bound to happen,’” prosecutors said.