Gunned Down After Christmas Shopping: Young Man Was Heading Home When Killed

JOLIET, IL — The young man shot in the head and killed as he drove down Broadway Friday afternoon was on his way home from last-minute Christmas shopping, his aunt said.

“Whoever did this, they deserve to be punished,” Samone Meadows said of her nephew Brian Byrd.

Byrd, 24, was shot on Broadway near Ingalls Avenue. After he was hit, Byrd veered into oncoming traffic and crashed into another car. Byrd was taken to Presence St. Joseph Medical Center and died there.

Meadows said she was like a “second mother” to Byrd, who had a twin sister and a younger sister. Meadows said Byrd’s grandmother Helena Carver was his “pride and joy.”

Byrd was a protective brother and excelled at basketball, Meadows said, playing both in high school and college. He went to college for business and worked as a truck driver, she said.

Detectives were attempting to obtain video surveillance from the area where Byrd was shot, Deputy Police Chief Al Roechner said Friday. Investigators were unsure if Byrd’s killer was on foot when he shot at him or if he opened fire from a vehicle.

A dark-colored car was seen speeding north after the shooting but it was not clear if it was involved in the attack.