4 guns recovered in Joliet after 5 teens arrested: cops

Zyshonne Harris (left), Javiere Baker, Marquise Smith and Damarco Whitaker.

Officers recovered four loaded 9 mm handguns following the arrest of five teens in Joliet, police said.

At 7:40 p.m. Wednesday, officers were on patrol on McDonough Street when they saw five people standing outside of a convenience store wearing ski masks and dark clothing, according to a statement from Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English.

When officers pulled into the parking lot, those people ran away and some of them grabbed their waistbands, English said.

During a foot chase, officers saw one of the suspects was holding a gun that he tossed over a fence in the 400 block of South Ottawa Street before they lost sight of him, English said.

Officers later found the suspect hiding in the 400 block of South Joliet Street, English said.

The suspect was identified as a 16-year-old teen and officers recovered a loaded 9 mm handgun, he said.

Officers located another suspect running in alley in the 300 block of South Des Plaines Street and that suspect dropped a handgun after tripping to the ground, English said.

Zyshonne Harris, 18, of Joliet, was identified as the suspect and his loaded 9 mm handgun with a defaced serial number was recovered by officers, English said.

In the 300 block of South Joliet Street, another suspect identified as Javiere Baker, 18, of Joliet, was found by officers and arrested, English said.

Officers found a loaded 9 mm handgun nearby that Baker indicated he dropped while fleeing from them, English said. The gun was reported stolen, he said.

Two other suspects, Damarco Whitaker, 19, of Plainfield, and Marquis Smith, 18, of Joliet, were later located by officers and arrested on probable cause of obstructing and resisting officers.

Officers recovered a fourth loaded 9 mm handgun in the 400 block of South Joliet Street.

“Ownership of this weapon is still under investigation,” English said.

Harris and Baker were booked into the Will County jail, the 16-year-old was booked into River Valley Juvenile Detention Center, while Whitaker and Smith were released from custody on their own recognizance.