Lockport Heights woman sues man charged in shooting that also was deemed hate crime

A Lockport Heights woman has filed a lawsuit against a man charged with attempting to murder her and committing a hate crime against her.

On Dec. 17, attorneys for Melissa Robertson filed a lawsuit at the Will County Courthouse against John Shadbar, 71, of Lockport, and his estranged wife, Wendy Shadbar, over the May 7 shooting in Lockport Heights that left Robertson with gunshot wounds.

John Shadbar is facing charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated discharge of a firearm, a hate crime, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a firearm without a valid license.

Prosecutors allege that John Shadbar, who is white, harassed Robertson, who is white, and her son, who is Black, with racist slurs before the shooting.

Shadbar is expected to appear in court for another pretrial hearing Jan. 17. Wendy Shadbar filed for a divorce about a week after the shooting.

Lockport Heights is an unincorporated area along Smith Road and Archer Avenue just outside the Lockport city limits.

Robertson’s lawsuit against the Shadbars was filed by attorneys with the Chicago law firm Costello, McMahon, Gilbreth and Murphy.

The lawsuit alleges that the Shadbars “maintained and stored multiple rounds of live ammunition and blank ammunition at their home,” even though John Shadbar is a “convicted felon and forbidden from possessing firearms.”

According to the lawsuit, Wendy Shadbar knew her husband had “cataracts that impaired his vision” and allowed him to consume alcohol.

According to Robertson’s lawsuit, Wendy Shadbar “knew or should have known” of her husband’s “propensity for incompetent, inexperienced or reckless behavior,” including when it came to firearms, and alcohol would worsen that behavior.

The lawsuit claims that Wendy Shadbar gave her husband “express or implied permission” to use firearms May 7 when she “knew or should have known” that would lead to an “unreasonable risk of harm to others,” including Robertson.

The lawsuit alleges that based on “information and belief,” John Shadbar pointed a firearm at Robertson and believed it was “loaded with blank ammunition” but shot Robertson with “live ammunition.”

Although Robertson survived, she suffered from “severe physical and emotional injuries, pain and suffering, and incurred medical expenses,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit accuses John Shadbar of negligence, battery and assault.

The lawsuit accuses Wendy Shadbar of “negligent entrustment” by allowing her husband to possess firearms, failing to investigate whether he should possess firearms and failing to properly train him in the use of firearms.