Joliet man charged with attempted murder in July 2 shooting

A man has been charged with attempted first-degree murder of a 17-year-old he was accused of shooting on Joliet’s far west side.

On Friday, Nathaniel Jakes Jr., 19, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude police officers over the July 2 shooting.

A criminal complaint alleges that Jakes took a substantial step toward committing murder by firing a gun and causing great bodily harm or permanent disability to the 17-year-old male victim.

The victim suffered two gunshot wounds and was flown to Stroger Hospital in Chicago, according to a statement from Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English.

Jakes was charged with fleeing from police in a Dodge Durango on Interstate 55 in Joliet by traveling at least 21 mph over the speed limit. He also was charged with disobeying two or more traffic control devices while fleeing from police on Houbolt Avenue in Joliet.

At a court hearing Tuesday, Judge Domenica Osterberger set a $1 million bond for Jakes after determining there was a “reasonable basis for the warrantless arrest” in connection with the shooting, according to court records.

Jakes will need to post 10% of that bond amount for his release from the Will County jail.

Officers first responded to the shooting about 8:31 p.m. July 2 in the 900 block of Shiloh Court, which is about a mile away from Joliet Junior College.

“As officers were arriving to the scene, a Dodge Durango driven by a male suspect was observed leaving the scene at a high rate of speed,” English said.

Officers pursued the fleeing vehicle, following it to I-55, but they were not able to stop it, English said.

The 17-year-old gunshot victim was found by officers outside a residence. He was taken to Ascension Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet and then flown to Stroger Hospital, English said.

The teen was in critical condition at the time he was taken to the Joliet hospital, he said.

“During the course of this investigation, Jakes was identified as the suspect who had shot the victim during a fight outside of the residence,” English said.

Joliet police officers later were notified by Illinois State Police that the Dodge Durango was involved in a crash in Chicago, English said. Jakes was inside the vehicle, he said.