A contract worker in Kankakee allegedly came under fire on a Saturday afternoon after a neighborhood argument turned violent, leaving a vehicle and a nearby house hit by bullets, according to police. No injuries were reported, and investigators say they have turned over their findings to the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office for charging decisions.
What the police say
Officers were called around 4:14 p.m. on Feb. 24 to the area of the 400 block of North Cottage Avenue after reports that a man had been shot at while performing contract work at a residence, authorities said. The victim told police he got into a verbal argument with 36-year-old Lionel D. Watson Jr., who then allegedly retrieved a firearm and opened fire as the worker tried to leave.
Investigators say Watson followed the victim in a white SUV, continuing to shoot at the departing vehicle. The Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office has charged Watson with aggravated discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Shaw Local.
Evidence at the scene
Responding officers collected a spent 9mm shell casing from the roadway and found a bullet hole in a home in the 1400 block of East Willow Street, police said. They also documented damage to the victim’s vehicle consistent with gunfire.
According to investigators, neighborhood video surveillance showed a white SUV trailing the victim’s car at the time of the incident, which they say backs up the victim’s account. “No injuries were reported as a result of this incident,” the release stated, per Shaw Local.
Charges and what they mean
Watson was arrested on Feb. 27 and later charged in Kankakee County court with aggravated discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle, a Class 1 felony, and felon in possession of a firearm by a felon, according to court records cited by police.
Under Illinois law, a Class 1 felony generally carries a standard prison range of roughly four to 15 years and can be subject to enhancements for firearm use or extended-term sentencing, as set out in state code, according to Illinois statute.
Police say the investigation is still active, and detectives are asking anyone with additional information to contact the Kankakee Police Department. The Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office will handle the prosecution as the case moves through the circuit court.
