Joliet man sentenced to court supervision in tragic accidental shooting case

A judge sentenced a Joliet man to two years of court supervision after she found him guilty of unlawfully storing a handgun that his 2-year-old son grabbed and used to accidentally shoot himself, which resulted in his death in 2021.

On Friday, Will County Judge Chrystel Gavlin sentenced Vincent Shelby, 40, of Joliet, to court supervision and 200 hours of community service at a nonprofit organization.

Last year, Gavlin found Shelby guilty of the misdemeanor offense of unlawful storage of a Walther .40-caliber pistol within premises.

Shelby’s 2-year-old son, Angelo, fatally shot himself June 2, 2021, after finding a loaded firearm in the living room of his father’s residence.

Gavlin once again said Friday that the case still weighed heavily on her “mind and heart.” She said that Angelo’s death will be “forever felt” in the hearts of his family.

“This has been a difficult case,” Gavlin said.

Gavlin said she believed Shelby will comply with the sentence, which she said was appropriate, fair and just.

She said the misdemeanor offense allows for court supervision, and it was clear to her that lawmakers allow for court supervision for such an offense in certain circumstances.

This has been a difficult case.”

—  Will County Judge Chrystel Gavlin

Gavlin said she also considered the fact that Shelby has no past criminal history and that he had numerous people speak and write letters on his behalf.

During Shelby’s sentencing hearing April 21, Shelby’s sister, Erika Shelby-Smith, said her brother had a “huge heart” and would do anything for anyone. She said her brother was shattered by the loss of his son, who he loved “like no other.”

“Ask yourself: hasn’t he suffered enough?” she said to Gavlin.

Many of Shelby’s friends testified that he was a great man and a great father. They also stressed that Shelby already has suffered enough with the loss of his son.

Terry Morris, a former Joliet City Council member, appeared at Shelby’s sentencing hearing to speak on behalf of his friend. He said Shelby has always been a “great guy” and that he loves his children.

“What he loves to do is to help people,” Morris said.

Shelby told Gavlin at his sentencing hearing that his son was “my angel” and the “glue that held the family together.”

He said that June 2, 2021, was the day that changed his life forever.

“I have a big hole in my heart,” he said. “A hole that will never be filled again.”