2 Killed, 5 Injured In Mass Shooting At NYE Party In Kankakee

KANKAKEE, IL — Two people were killed and five others were injured at a shooting at a New Year's Eve party in Kankakee, authorities said Wednesday.

A suspect was being held for questioning, police said.

Quaysean T Isom, 22, of Kankakee, and Trevontae Ellis, 20, of Pembroke Township, were identified by the Kankakee County Coroner's Office as the two who were fatally shot at a home on Pierson Parkway.

Kankakee police said the two were among four gunshot victims taken to hospitals by the Kankakee Fire Department. Three other shooting victims arrived at hospitals afterward and told authorities they had been shot at the Pierson Parkway home.

The injured victims were three women and two men, Kankakee Mayor Chris Curtis said. The names and ages of those injured were not released as of Wednesday afternoon.

"This shooting and deaths is tragic and we pray for the victims and their families," Curtis said in a statement issued on social media. "I’m heartbroken over this for our community and the families. One loss of life is one too many."

Curtis called the incident disturbing and said "it was potentially avoidable," as the party had gone on for many hours and had been asked to cease due to loud noise and disturbing the neighborhood.

"What is more troubling is most of the attendees are not cooperating with police or saying they didn’t see anything. We have to do better Kankakee!" Curtis said.

Gunshots at the home were reported at 4:05 a.m., and police arrived to find a large group of people who had been attending a party, many of whom were running out of the home, Kankakee police said.

The suspect was found hiding near the home, police said. Two firearms and multiple shell casings were recovered at the scene.

Isom was pronounced dead at 4:41 a.m. at Ascension St Mary’s Hospital, and Ellis was pronounced dead at 5:35 a.m. at Riverside Medical Center, the coroner's office said. Autopsies were scheduled for later Wednesday.

The incident remains under investigation by police and the coroner's office. Kankakee police urged anyone with information to call KanComm at 815-933-3324 or the detective bureau at 815-933-0426.