Detectives investigating fatal shooting of Joliet Township man: cops

The Will County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the fatal shooting of a man in Joliet Township and seeking the public’s assistance in identifying suspects.

About 10:55 p.m. Sunday, sheriff’s deputies responded to the Pheasant Run Apartments complex, which is located off Route 53 between Bradford Road and Pheasant Run Road in Joliet Township, according to a statement from Will County Deputy Chief Dan Jungles.

Deputies responded to an accident in the west parking lot and were advised that the driver of the occupied vehicle may have been the victim of a shooting, Jungles said.

“Responding deputies located the victim occupied in a gray Kia Spectra, which had struck an unoccupied parked vehicle in the lot,” Jungles said.

Deputies located the victim, who was unconscious and bleeding from the head from an apparently gunshot wound, Jungles said.

Paramedics from the East Joliet Fire Protection District responded to the scene as well and took the victim to AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

The victim was later identified as Lorenzo Gibbons, 20, of Joliet Township.

Gibbons was later taken by helicopter to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood to receive treatment for his injuries, Jungles said.

Gibbons was pronounced deceased at the hospital at 4:45 p.m. on Monday, according to Natalia Derevyanny, Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office spokeswoman.

Derevyanny said Gibbons died from a gunshot wound to the head and his death was ruled a homicide.

Gibbons was later taken by helicopter to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood to receive treatment for his injuries, Jungles said.

The shooter likely did not realize he hit Gibbons, Jungles said.

“It’s our belief the offender in this case had no idea he shot and killed someone,” he said.

“He was shooting blindly at a moving car while his car was moving,” Jungles said of the gun attack, which was “done with purpose. At this point, we don’t know what that purpose was.”

No weapons were found in Gibbons’ vehicle, Jungles said.

Gibbons had no fixed address but occasionally stayed with family living in the Pheasant Run Apartments, Jungles said.

Jungles said sheriff’s detectives recovering shell casings on scene and were able to determine the shooting occurred in the southbound lane of Route 53, front of the apartment complex entrance.

“The Will County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in trying to identify potential suspect(s) in this investigation,” Jungles said.

Anyone with information on the incident or who was a witness to the shooting of Gibbons should contact Detective Shaun Moran at 815-727-8574, extension 4914.

If they wish to remain anonymous, they should submit a tip on the website for the sheriff’s office at willcosheriff.org/enforcement/submit-a-crime-tip.

They can also provide tips anonymously through the Will County Sheriff’s Office app that is available on iOS and Android smartphone platforms.

Another way to provide tips anonymously is through Will County Crime Stoppers by phone at 800-323-6734 or online at crimestoppersofwillcounty.org/submit-a-tip.