Romeoville man accused of shooting brother in the leg

A Romeoville man on parole was arrested last week after he was accused of shooting his brother in the leg.

Shortly after 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Brian Ortiz, 24, of the 600 block of Palmer Avenue, Romeoville, was booked into the Will County jail in connection with the incident.

Ortiz has been on parole since Sept. 1. He was sent to prison about a week earlier for an aggravated driving under the influence conviction, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Judge Theodore Jarz set Ortiz’s bond at $150,000 on Sunday after Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Adam Capelli told him about the circumstances that led to the arrest of Ortiz.

Capelli said police responded to a shooting at close to 11:30 p.m. on Thursday in the 600 block of Palmer Avenue and learned Ortiz had shot his brother in the leg.

Capelli said the brother claimed the shooting was accidental while Ortiz said it was self defense because his brother had a knife.

Romeoville Deputy Police Chief Brant Hromadka said officers had placed a tourniquet on the leg of the victim, who said he had been shot while walking on the sidewalk near his home.

Officers were unable to find evidence that the shooting occurred outside the victim’s residence, according to Hromadka.

Officers spoke with Ortiz and noticed injuries to his face, along with evidence of a shooting that occurred inside the residence, Hromadka said.

When detectives met with the victim at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, he admitted Ortiz had shot him.

Ortiz was arrested on probable cause of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery while discharging a firearm. Court records on Tuesday have not yet shown formal charges filed against Ortiz.

Jarz ordered Ortiz to have no contact with his brother as a condition of bond if he is released from jail.