Joliet teen shot dead outside playground

A memorial of flowers and candles outside of a Joliet playground Wednesday marked the spot where Antoine Shropshire, 16, was gunned down the night before.

Joliet police and the Will County Coroner’s Office would not identify the victim because of his age.

However, Antoine’s mother, Tysha Hammond of Joliet, told the Herald-News that it was her son who died Tuesday night in the 400 block of South Joliet Street.

He “had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.” The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Will County Coroner’s Office.

—  Joliet Police Department

Hammond said she would speak about her son at a vigil to be held Friday near the scene of his death.

Antoine was shot about 8 p.m. Tuesday.

“[He] had sustained multiple gunshot wounds,” the Joliet Police Department said in a news release. “The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Will County Coroner’s Office.”

Neighbors who did not want to provide their own names said they heard several bangs from that they first believed to be fireworks until a rush of police cars and people to the scene confirmed that someone had been shot.

Whether it was multiple guns or one gun, police did not say. It was was unclear whether it was a drive-by shooting or up-close confrontation, nor how many times the boy was shot.

The park where the shooing happened does not have a name posted. Neighbors said they did not think it had any official name.

“We just call it End Park,” a neighbor said, adding that the name was given by residents who live in a section of the city sometimes called the South End.

“Normally, there would be kids there,” another neighbor said of the park.

No children were playing in the park Wednesday morning, although teens had gathered around the memorial to the dead 16-year-old. They did not want to talk to The Herald-News about what happened.

The park on the northeast corner of Joliet and Jasper streets is a few doors down from the Warren-Sharpe Community Center, a local resource offering parenting forums, youth leadership programs, a food pantry and other services aimed at providing young people in the area with a better future.

The vigil organized by the nonprofit Speakup will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. outside the Warren Sharpe Community Center, located at 454 S. Joliet St.

Speakup founder and Executive Director Trista Graves Brown said she also is in the process of setting up a fundraiser for the family.

Another Joliet Street resident who did not want her name used said she heard the gunfire and said it sounded like at least seven or eight shots. She, too, thought at first it was fireworks and spoke of the rush of people to the scene of the crime. Police said they were called about 7:57 p.m. with a report that someone had been shot.

The investigation remains in its early stages as detectives work to identify suspects, police said in the release. No update from authorities about the shooting was available Wednesday evening.

Police said the identity of the victim would be confirmed by the coroner.

The Will County Coroner’s Office posted its own news release saying “the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The final cause and manner of death will be determined at a later date. The name is being withheld due to the decedent being a minor.”

Police encourage anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Joliet Police Department Investigation Unit at 815-724-3020. People who wish to remain anonymous can also contact Will County Crime Stoppers at 800-323-6734 or online at https://crimestoppersofwillcounty.org.