Teen caught with loaded gun outside Joliet liquor store: cops

Emergency lights

A 17-year-old was caught carrying a loaded handgun outside of a liquor store in Joliet, police said.

Shortly after 7:30 p.m. on Friday, officers found a Dodge Neon in the parking lot of Stang Kelly Liquors, 712 W. Jefferson St., after receiving information that the occupants of the vehicle may be armed with a handgun, Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

Officers identified the driver of the Dodge Neon as a 17-year-old male and a passenger as a 15-year-old female, English said.

Officers ordered the 17-year-old teen out of the vehicle but he fled from them, English said.

Officers quickly caught up to the teen and attempted to arrest him but he resisted the officers by not allowing them to access his arms, English said.

Eventually, officers were able to arrest the teen without further incident, searched him and found a loaded 9 mm handgun, English said.

The teen was arrested on a charge of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful ammunition possession, obstructing and resisting police officers. He was booked into River Valley Juvenile Detention Center in Joliet.

At the time when officers were attempting to place the teen into custody, the 15-year-old female from the Dodge Neon charged at the officers in an attempt to stop the arrest, English said.

The female teen was then arrested on a charge of obstructing a police officer and released to a parent, English said.