A Saturday night hangout at Joliet's West Park turned into a crime scene when a 15-year-old boy was shot in the head and critically wounded, police said. A 14-year-old boy was also hurt in the same incident.
The shooting happened near the 600 block of Wheeler Avenue, where officers arrived to find both teens injured and rushed them to area hospitals. The 15-year-old was first taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, then transferred to Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago for specialized treatment. Detectives quickly locked down the area and began canvassing the park as part of an active investigation.
According to ABC7 Chicago, officers discovered the older teen with a gunshot wound to the head and the younger boy suffering other injuries; both were initially treated at St. Joseph Medical Center. ABC7 reports the 15-year-old was then moved to Lurie Children's Hospital for further care, and that investigators are treating West Park as the primary crime scene while canvassing the area for evidence.
Police Response And How To Help
Joliet police have not released any suspect descriptions or a possible motive and are asking the public to help fill in the blanks. Anyone with information or video related to the shooting is urged to contact the Joliet Police Investigation Division at 815-724-3020.
Tips can also be shared anonymously through Will County Crime Stoppers at 800-323-6734, which accepts phone, online, and text submissions. As of Sunday, police said no arrests had been announced and the case remains an active investigation.
Local Context
The violence at West Park comes amid a stretch of recent shootings in Joliet that have left neighbors frustrated and city leaders searching for answers. A similar plea for witnesses went out after a late-night Joliet shooting in July 2025, when investigators again spread out through nearby streets in search of clues.
Community leaders and police continue to urge residents to review doorbell and security-camera footage for anything that might help connect the dots. Officials stress that even small details could prove important to detectives working the case.
Police said details remained limited Sunday and emphasized that the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are asking anyone with information to reach out through the tip lines listed above. We will update this report as new details are released.
