Coroner IDs Joliet man killed in shooting at west side apartments

More than 20 spent shell casings were discovered at the scene where a 25-year-old man was gunned down Wednesday evening in Joliet, according to police.

About 11:50 p.m., officers responded to the shooting at the 2300 block of White Birch Lane and discovered the man in the parking lot of a nearby apartment building, Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said. The street is across the intersection of Glenwood and Republic avenues and leads into The Birches apartments and townhomes.

The man was identified as Tenzell Terry, 25, of Joliet by the Will County Coroner’s Office.

Officers rendered medical aid to Terry, who was injured from multiple gunshot wounds, English said. Paramedics arrived to take Terry to Ascension Saint Joseph-Joliet hospital, he said.

Terry was pronounced dead at 12:34 a.m. on Thursday at the hospital.

Police do not believe Terry is a resident of The Birches, but detectives “continue to look into this in the early stages of this investigation,” English said.

During the investigation, officers discovered more than 20 spent shell casings near the area where they found Terry, English said. Three unoccupied vehicles in the parking lot and a nearby apartment window were struck by gunfire.

No other injuries were reported in the incident.

As of Thursday morning, the motive behind the shooting remains “unknown and still under investigation,” English said. The number of suspects responsible for the shooting is also unknown, he said.

“Detectives feel that the shooting is targeted in nature but this also is under investigation,” English said.

Terry was once charged with home invasion linked to a shootout on April 25, 2020 at an apartment on Parkwood Drive in Joliet. Treshon Holland, 24, and Treveal Barefield, 18, were killed in the shooting.

In 2021, prosecutors agreed to drop the home invasion charge in favor of Terry’s plea of guilty to criminal trespass to a residence.

The last time officers responded to a report of a shooting at The Birches was during the early morning of Feb. 27 but they found no evidence of a shooting, English said.

Another shooting took place in March on a stretch of Republic Avenue that is close to the intersection of The Birches. But there is no indication the two shootings are related, English said.

That incident involved at least 20 gunshots but no injuries, police said. Occupants of two vehicles were apparently firing gunshots at each other in broad daylight

Anyone with video footage or information on Wednesday’s fatal shooting should contact the Joliet Police Department Investigation Division at 815-724-3020.

If they wish to stay anonymous, they can call Crime Stoppers of Will County at 800-323-6734 or go to crimestoppersofwillcounty.org.