Joliet police say occupants of 2 vehicles shot at each other on west side Thursday

Occupants of two vehicles were apparently firing gunshots at each other in broad daylight in Joliet in an incident that is similar to a deadly shooting four years ago on the same street.

On Thursday, officers apprehended someone hiding in a garbage can who they believed may have been connected to the shooting on Republic Avenue. But they ultimately released the person without charge pending further investigation.

The investigation of an incident that involved at least 20 gunshots but no injuries has led officers to believe that two vehicles were firing upon each other, said Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English.

A similar incident occurred in 2020 on Republic Avenue where a shootout between two vehicles led to the death of a 17-year-old Jeremiah Frazier.

Officers believe a Ford Edge was one of the vehicles involved in the shooting on Thursday, English said.

About three hours after the shooting on Thursday, officers found an unoccupied Ford Edge in a far west side subdivision called Country Glen.

Officers learned the Ford Edge was driven by a person who they believed was possibly armed, English said. After establishing a perimeter and alerting the neighborhood, officers found an unarmed person hiding in of a garbage can in the subdivision, he said.

The person was released without charge following questioning by police.

“This investigation remains very active and continues to develop at this hour,” English said in a statement late Thursday evening.

Officers first responded to the Republic Avenue shooting about 11:40 a.m. in the 300 block of Republic Avenue, English said. The area is about a block from Ascension Saint Joseph – Joliet Hospital.

Following an investigation, officers believe a dark-colored SUV was heading north on Republic Avenue and following a dark-colored sedan. Officers determined someone inside the SUV “fired numerous gunshots at the sedan,” English said.

Both vehicles fled the area.

Gunfire caused damage to an unoccupied vehicle at 308 Republic Ave. and the structures of 308, 321 and 316 Republic Ave.

Joliet West High School and Thomas Jefferson Elementary School were placed on a brief lockdown for about a half hour while the investigation progressed.

Anyone with information or videos about the incident should contact the Joliet Police Department at 815-724-3020. If they wish to remain anonymous, they can contact Crime Stoppers of Will County at 800-323-6734 or online at crimestoppersofwillcounty.org.

The shootout on Feb. 7, 2020 between two vehicles that led to Frazier’s death resulted in three arrests.

Two of the men arrested were charged with first-degree murder of Frazier but their cases fell apart in court and resulted in the charge being dropped in favor of plea deals to lesser offenses.