Early Saturday in downtown Morris, a burst of gunfire outside Clayton's Tap turned a quiet river-town strip into an active crime scene, leaving one man dead and another critically wounded. Officers arrived on the 100 block of West Washington Street, later identifying the man who died through the Grundy County coroner. Police arrested a suspect and issued initial charges while prosecutors prepare to review the case, and the shooting has unsettled business owners and residents in a downtown that is usually calm after dark.
Gunfire on West Washington
According to ABC7 Chicago, the Grundy County Sheriff's Office responded to the 100 block of West Washington Street and found two men with gunshot wounds. One man was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Officials did not immediately release further information about what led up to the shooting.
Victim identified
Grundy County Coroner John Callahan's office identified the man who died as 35-year-old Julian Rosario of Channahon, the Morris Herald-News reported. Local coverage noted that the shooting happened around 1 a.m. and that Rosario was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigation and response teams
The Morris Police Department said multiple law enforcement and emergency agencies converged on the area, including the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, Grundy County Emergency Management, the Morris Fire Department, the Will/Grundy Major Crimes Task Force, and the Illinois State Police, according to Patch. Patch also reported that the Grundy County coroner recorded the time of death at about 1:16 a.m., and that officials were withholding additional details until an autopsy is completed.
Suspect in custody
Morris police say they arrested 22-year-old Marshall Szpara of Seneca in connection with the shooting and initially charged him with two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm. The department said the charges are “pending further review” by the Grundy County state's attorney's office, per ABC7 Chicago.
Bar responds
Clayton's Tap posted on its Facebook page that staff members helped the victims and directed people to call 9-1-1, saying the business was “deeply saddened” by what happened, the Morris Herald-News reported. The post praised bartenders who “quickly assisted” those outside and asked the community to give law enforcement space to carry out the investigation.
Next steps in the case
Patch noted that Morris has recorded only a handful of homicides in recent years, and that this is the city's first deadly shooting so far this year, a reality that drew an outpouring of comments on the Morris Police Department Facebook page. Investigators say the probe is ongoing, and officials have not released a full timeline. Authorities have said they will share more information as it becomes available.
