Attempted murder charges dropped in 2018 Joliet bar shooting

Prosecutors dropped attempted murder charges against a man who pleaded guilty shooting three men during a confrontation outside Eden Bar and Grill in Joliet.

Alonzo Gadson, 40, of Naperville has been in jail since June 29, 2018, on what were initially numerous felony charges in connection with the shooting, including attempted first-degree murder of three men he was accused of wounding with a firearm.

On Nov. 9, prosecutors agreed to dismiss those charges in exchange for Gadson’s guilty plea to three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, court records show.

Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak sentenced Gadson to 16 years and 6 months in prison. Gadson was credited with 1,227 days already served while incarcerated.

Will County State’s Attorney spokeswoman Carole Cheney said the plea agreement was reached with full knowledge and approval of the victims and based on the totality of the circumstances and the evidence.

Prosecutors said in a court filing that Gadson was at Eden Bar and Grill when he got into an argument with the three victims, pulled out a gun and fired in their direction, striking all three of them.

Gadson’s attorney, Chuck Bretz, said a review of the video from the Gardner Street bar showed that Gadson was “certainly not the initial aggressor in the circumstance.”

Bretz said that before the shooting, Gadson left the bar, walked across the street, got into a car and attempted to leave.

However, the three victims followed Gadson to his car and surrounded him, at which point Gadson had indicated he was fearful of being attacked, Bretz said. That’s when he fired his weapon, he said.

“I think that the negotiated plea to a lesser offense was appropriate based on the facts of the case and the fact that he was not the initial aggressor and tried to leave the scene as to avoid any problems,” Bretz said.

Gadson initially faced three counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, armed violence and unlawful use of a weapon by felon.

One victim was taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox while the other two were transported to AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, according to Joliet police. One of the victims was flown from St. to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood in critical condition.