An 18-year-old and a juvenile were arrested after gunfire was reported near children at Beckman Park in Kankakee on Monday afternoon. No injuries were reported. Police say the search for evidence recovered two handguns, among other ammunition and casings, Shaw Local reported.
The adult, Jerrell W. Wade, 18, of Kankakee, is charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, resisting arrest and unlawful use of a weapon by a person under 21, according to the report. He is awaiting a detention hearing at the Jerome Combs Detention Center. Police detained the juvenile, whose name was withheld; authorities had not announced charges.
What police say happened
Witnesses told police that two people fired toward a group of youngsters near the park’s baseball fields at about 2:50 p.m. Officers later saw two people matching the suspects’ descriptions near Duane Boulevard and Justine Drive. The pair ran, and officers caught them a short time later, Shaw Local reported.
A search of the park recovered two handguns, three spent shell casings, a loaded magazine and additional ammunition. An Illinois State Police dog assisted investigators, according to the same report. Police have not announced charges against the juvenile, and the investigation remains open.
Separate city efforts and firearm figures
The city describes Kankakee United as an initiative intended to reduce gun violence involving African-American boys and men under 25 by bringing community resources together to strengthen neighborhood engagement, address trauma-related concerns and remove employment barriers, according to the City of Kankakee. The city’s stated mission provides broader context; it does not establish a connection to the Beckman Park case.
In a separate public-safety measure, Mayor Chris Curtis said an average of 190 firearms had been taken off Kankakee streets in each of the previous three years, WVLI reported in January. That citywide figure does not indicate how often shootings occur or explain this incident.
Kankakee police are asking anyone with information about the Beckman Park shooting to contact investigators at 815-933-0401.
