Joliet PD: West Jefferson St. Drive-By Shooter Captured

JOLIET, IL — On Wednesday, about 125 people packed into Joliet's VFW Hall on Horseshoe Drive to discuss the rise of violent crime on the city's west side. Later that night, someone in a black sports utility vehicle began firing his gun at another car in the 2400 block of West Jefferson Street. Nobody got hurt, according to Joliet Police. Eventually, officers captured two Joliet residents, Shaquan Meadows, 26, and Mitchell Thompson, 25, in connection with the drive-by shooting.

The drive-by shooting on the city's west side was reported to Joliet Police at 10:18 p.m. "The vehicle was located a short time later getting off of I-80 onto Chicago Street. Officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and it refused to pull over," Joliet Police announced on their Facebook page. "One of the occupants threw a firearm out of the vehicle near Chicago Street and Patterson Road during the pursuit."

In time, the black SUV pulled over near Joliet Street and Patterson Road and Joliet Police officers placed Meadows and Thompson under arrest. "A loaded firearm was recovered on the side of the road near Chicago Avenue and Patterson Road," Joliet Police revealed.

As of Friday, Mitchell Thompson, who resides in the 1600 block of 5th Avenue in Joliet, was being held in the Will County Jail on a $750,000 bail. Prosecutors formally charged him with: aggravated discharge of a gun, two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a gun, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and obstructing justice/destroying evidence.

Joliet Police mentioned on Facebook that Meadows was arrested on charges of aggravated unlawful use of a gun, aggravated discharge of a gun and obstructing justice.

However, formal criminal charges were not filed by the Will County State's Attorney's Office against Meadows.

He was released from the Will County Jail around 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 22, jail records indicate.