How Many Joliet Shootings So Far This Year? Police Chief Bill Evans Gives Answers To City Council

JOLIET, IL — If you believe that crime is rampant and out of control in the city of Joliet, perception and reality are two different things. At Tuesday night's Joliet City Council meeting, Joliet's Police Chief Bill Evans gave an update on violent crime statistics for the first 11 months of 2025.

There has been a total of 386 shooting incidents across the city of Joliet — last year, at this time, there were 614 shooting calls, Evans pointed out, marking a reduction of 37 percent.

"Making it the third year in a row that the Joliet Police Department has seen considerable reduction in total shootings," Evans remarked.

This year, Joliet police have investigated a total of 22 aggravated batteries; last year at this time there were 42. By this time last year, Joliet police handled 277 aggravated discharge of a firearm crimes; there have been 151 so far in 2025.

There were 53 robberies at this time last year, as of Tuesday, Joliet police responded to 45, a reduction of 15 percent, the police chief explained.

7 Tactical Officers Responsible For Confiscating Over 75 Guns: Chief Evans

Evans also complimented all of his agency's 263 police officers for taking dangerous guns off the streets of Joliet.

A total of 211 guns were confiscated by Joliet police during the first 11 months of 2025; last year's totals at this time were 183. Evans said "seven guys on the tactical team" have been responsible for over 75 of those guns" being seized in 2025.

Evans credited Joliet's use of the FLOCK license plate reader camera system for helping solve many of the city's violent crimes. More than 60 FLOCK cameras are placed across Joliet and Joliet has also installed five "live feed cameras in strategic places throughout the city," Evans noted.

Evans noted that homicides continue to drop. Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English informed Joliet Patch that the agency has tallied only two homicides so far in 2025.

In early June, Joliet police solved the alley murder of 13-year-old Manuel Mejia Perez, who was gunned down on the afternoon of June 2 on Joliet's southeast side in the 300 block of Desplaines Street. Joliet police announced that a 15-year-old juvenile boy was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.

Detectives determined the victim and the 15-year-old arrestee were known to one another and had been involved in an ongoing personal dispute. Evidence indicates that the arrestee shot the victim twice during the confrontation, Joliet police advised.

Joliet Police Handle Only 2 Homicides During First 11 Months Of 2025

On September 29, the Joliet Police Department investigated a murder-suicide in the Clublands Subdivision off Theodore Drive and west of County Line Road, which has a Plainfield mailing address. The Kendall County Coroner's Office later announced that 40-year-old Jennifer Heit and 40-year-old Ryan Heit, both of the 1800 block of Burshire Court, died from apparent gunshot wounds. Both gunshot victims were found at their house.

In addition to the two homicides, Joliet police also investigated a self-defense fatal shooting in August that ended the life of long-time Chicago area burglar Shelby Hurd. Hurd was killed by a woman in the 7000 block of Hadrian Drive after Hurd broke into her home at night.

Before leaving the City Council podium, Evans reminded the Council that "we're proud to serve our community and we feel very supported by them." Joliet police are very active in fund-raising for the Illinois Special Olympics and Easter Seals programs, he pointed out.

Evans said that a day does not go by without someone in the community visiting the police station to offer prayers, food or encouragement. "In fact, Burger King was there today," Evans told the Council.

"It's comforting to know that our neighbors stand behind us and although we do know we still have a lot of work to do, we are seeing small decreases in burglaries in motor vehicles and thefts and decreases in residential burglaries ... We are committed to serving everyone with professionalism, integrity and compassion," Evans explained.