6-year-old wounded in Joliet shooting, 3 suspects arrested: cops

A 6-year-old child was wounded in a shooting in Joliet, and the suspects who attempted to flee from officers in a vehicle have been hospitalized after crashing into a tree, police said.

The 6-year-old boy appeared to have suffered a grazed gunshot wound to his right arm after Sunday’s shooting and he’s undergoing treatment at Ascension Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, according to Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

Three suspects in the shooting – Darrell Harris, 18, of Joliet, a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old — have been arrested, English said. Those three men have been hospitalized with serious injuries following their failed attempt to flee police in a vehicle, he said.

A rifle and a handgun was recovered from the vehicle, English said.

Officers first responded to the shooting about 5:40 p.m. Sunday, in the 500 block of Bellarmine Drive West for reports of shots fired, English said.

Officers located the 6-year-old boy with the grazed gunshot wound, along with numerous spent shell casings in the street, English said.

Officers determined that two unoccupied parked vehicles and three nearby apartments and been struck by gunfire, English said. No further victims were located.

During the investigation, detectives identified a suspect vehicle involved in the shooting, English said.

A short time later, officers observed the suspect vehicle near North Scott Street and Clay Street and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, English said.

The driver of the vehicle fled the scene at a high rate of speed, leading a pursuit to an area near Larkin Avenue and Interstate 80, English said.

The driver then fled onto eastbound of I-80 and exited on Briggs Street, English said.

While traveling in the southbound direction of Briggs Street near Mills Road, the driver lost control of the vehicle after attempting to pass an uninvolved vehicle, English said.

The fleeing suspect vehicle struck a tree on the south side of the roadway, English said.

Officers began to render medical assistance and called for a Joliet Fire Department to respond, English said.

Officers determined there were five males inside of the vehicle at the time of the crash, ranging in ages from 16 to 18, English said. All five have been hospitalized, English said.