A Will County judge sentenced a Berwyn man to 120 years in prison for the attempted murder of two Romeoville police officers in a 2023 shooting that took place in a neighborhood.

Judge Art Smigielski’s courtroom was packed with police officers, friends and family on Thursday for the sentencing of Samer Hernandez-Abdallah, 31.

Last August, Smigielski found Hernandez-Abdallah guilty of the attempted murder by firing off gunshots at Romeoville police officers Dominic Thielmann and Francisco Garcia.

Garcia managed to avoid the gunfire. But Thielmann was struck and hospitalized with severe injuries.

The two officers were searching for a stolen vehicle on May 25, 2023 in a Romeoville neighborhood. When they found the vehicle and began to approach it, Hernandez-Abdallah fled on foot and fired off shots, according to prosecutors.

Smigielski said what the two officers endured was “horrific.” He criticized Hernandez-Abdallah for firing shots at the officers and running away instead of just surrendering.

He said Hernandez-Abdallah tried to pretend he didn’t know they were officers.

“We need to respect these police officers. Not attack them. Not vilify them,” Smigielski said.

Thielmann and Garcia told Smigielski about how the shooting affected them.

Thielmann recalled chasing after Hernandez-Abdallah before everything turned to black.

“I opened my eyes and I was in the fight for my life,” Thielmann said.

Thielmann spoke about his painful recovery from the injuries he suffered in the shooting. He said he would force himself to keeping breathing for the sake of his son and wondered if he would ever play ball with him again.

Despite the pain Thielmann endured, he said he would do it all again to stop Hernandez-Abdallah.

Garcia said the shooting was life changing for him, his family, the police department and the Romeoville community. He said he could still hear the echo of gunfire and he still wondered whether he could have done more for Thielmann.

Garcia noted Hernandez-Abadallah’s extensive criminal history shows he has not changed his ways.

“You are finally being held accountable for all the destruction you have caused,” Garcia said.