Joliet senior center resident arrested after allegedly threatening, insulting Black employee: cops

A resident of an assisted living facility in Joliet was arrested after he threatened to kill a Black employee and made “numerous racially charged insults toward her,” police said.

At 2:47 p.m. Thursday, officers went to Joshua Arms Senior Residences, 1315 Rowell Ave., for a report of disturbance that occurred a few days earlier, according to a Joliet police news release.

When the officers arrived, they determined that at about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, John Beacham, 73, who lives at the facility, had threatened to physically harm a Black female employee of the facility and made “numerous racially charged insults toward her,” police said.

Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said Beacham threatened to kill the employee.

Officers met with Beacham at his apartment and placed him into custody without incident, police said.

Beacham was arrested on probable cause of disorderly conduct.

Beacham is scheduled to appear for a court hearing April 26 at the Will County Courthouse.

Joshua Arms Senior Residences is a program run by Lutheran Social Services of Illinois and offers affordable senior residence apartments, according to the program’s website. The facility provides apartment-style living for adults who are 62 or older and people with disabilities who are 18 or older.