Joliet man, 19, arrested on weapons charges

Joliet police made an arrest in connection with a shooting in December in which a house was struck multiple times with gunfire.

Benjamin Onate, 19, Joliet was arrested Wednesday and charged with possession of a firearm without a firearms owner identification card, defacing identification marks of firearm, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, according to Joliet police.

Around 3:06 a.m. on Dec. 1, 2023, officers responded to the 100 block of Morris Street for a report of shots fired. A residence had been struck multiple times, police said. No injuries were reported in the shooting, police said.

Officers recovered more than 10 spent shell casings from the street, police said. Later on the same morning, the vehicle believed to be involved in the shooting was located unoccupied in the 1000 block of Ridgewood Avenue, according to police.

During the investigation, Onate was identified as a suspect in the possession of a handgun which appeared to have a defaced serial number and that Onate did not possess a FOID card, according to police.

Detectives obtained a warrant for Onate arrest on Sept. 3, and on Wednesday he arrived at the Joliet Police Department and was placed into custody without incident, police said.

This case remains under investigation.