Clapping Basketball Player Made Knife-Wielding Woman Mad: Cops

JOLIET, IL — A driveway basketball player applauding his own shot angered a woman to the point she pulled a knife and threatened to have her gang come by to take care of both him and another young man, police said.

The two men, ages 18 and 21, were playing basketball in the driveway of a house on West Acres Road about 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 13 when one of them hit a shot and clapped at his own success, police said.

A South Reed Street woman, 37-year-old Lilia Luna, happened to be walking by and took offense to the clapping, police said. She allegedly threatened to “call her gang over to take care of” the young men and then pulled a knife.

One of the men grabbed a tree branch and used it to knock the knife out of Luna’s hand, police said. The blow also reportedly scratched her arm.

Luna allegedly snatched the knife back up and used it to scratch the paint job of a parked car.

When the cops got there, Luna denied having a knife but officers found one in the pocket of her jeans, police said.

Luna was then reportedly taken to Presence St. Joseph Medical Center so the scratch on her arm could be treated. Staff decided to keep her there for a psychological evaluation, police said, and she remained at the hospital until Monday, when she was released from care and placed under arrest.

Luna was later released on her own recognizance.