Major Crimes Task Force takes police shooting to state’s attorney

The Will/Grundy Major Crimes Task Force was to meet with the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office regarding the fatal shooting of a Joliet man by Will County Sheriff’s deputies.

Romeoville Police Chief Ken Kroll, the task force spokesman, said the task force also was to review body camera footage from the deputies involved in the shooting of 21-year-old Jabbar Muhammad.

Muhammad’s brother called 911 about 4 p.m. Saturday and reported that Muhammad was armed with a knife and threatening their grandfather, 70-year-old Eldred Wells, at Wells’ home on Middletree Road in Joliet Township, according to a statement released by the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies attempted to calm Muhammad and ordered him to put the knife down, police said, but he “lunged at his grandfather with the knife, stabbing Eldred in the neck.”

The deputies opened fire and shot Muhammad “several times,” according to police, but he “continued to stab his grandfather in the neck.”

The deputies then shot Muhammad some more, police said.

Muhammad was pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting, police said and Eldred died in the emergency room of Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, according to the Will County Coroner’s Office.