Five Arrested After a Foot Chase with Joliet Police

On Wednesday night, at 7:40 pm, Joliet Police were on patrol in the 0-100 block McDonough Street when they saw five males outside a convenience store wearing ski masks and dark clothing. As Officers pulled into the parking lot, the individuals ran away, some of them grabbing their waistbands. While chasing after one of the suspects on foot, Officers observed that the suspect was holding a handgun. 

The suspect was seen throwing the handgun near a fence in the 400 block of South Ottawa before Officers lost sight of him. Officers later located the suspect hiding in the 400 block of South Joliet Street. He was identified as a 16-year-old juvenile and was placed into custody without incident. The loaded 9mm handgun that the juvenile was observed throwing was recovered by Officers.

Additional Officers responded and a perimeter was established. Officers located a suspect running in an alley in the 300 block of South Des Plaines Street. While running from Officers, the suspect tripped to the ground dropping a handgun in the process. The suspect was identified as Zyshonne Harris and he was placed into custody without further incident. The loaded 9mm handgun that Harris had dropped was recovered by Officers, who determined that the weapon’s serial number had been defaced.

Officers located an additional suspect in the 300 block of South Joliet Street. Officers identified this suspect as Javiere Baker and he was taken into custody without incident. Officers located a loaded 9mm handgun nearby and Baker indicated that he had dropped the weapon while feeing Officers. Further inspection of the handgun determined that it had previously been reported stolen.

Damarco Whitaker was located by Officers in the 400 block of South Joliet Street and placed into custody without incident. Officers located one of the suspects in the 400 block of South Des Plaines Street while hiding in the bed of a pickup truck. He was identified as Marquise Smith and placed into custody without incident. During further search of the area, Officers recovered a fourth loaded 9mm handgun in the 400 block of South Joliet Street. Ownership of this weapon is still under investigation.

• 18-year-old Zyshonne Harris (Joliet) was charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Defacing Identification Mark of Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, No FOID, and Obstructing a Peace Officer.
• 18-year-old Javiere Baker (Joliet) was charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Possession of Stolen Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, No FOID, and Obstructing a Peace Officer.
• 19-year-old Damarco Whitaker (Plainfield) was released on an I-Bond for Obstructing/Resisting a Peace Officer.
• 18-year-old Marquise Smith (Joliet) was released on an I-Bond for Obstructing/Resisting a Peace Officer.
• A 16-year-old male juvenile was arrested, processed, and transported to the River Valley Justice Center for Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, No FOID, and Obstructing a Peace Officer.