Mom of Joliet Man Killed By Police Suing Cop, City

The mother of a man killed by a police officer is suing the Joliet cop who shot her son.

Loleta Barrow-Hines, the mother of 20-year-old Shaquille Barrow, is also suing the City of Joliet.

In March, Barrow and 22-year-old Shawn Miller broke into a house on Mississippi Avenue, police said. A resident reportedly returned home to find the contents of her purse strewn on the lawn and her wallet missing, and then spotted Barrow and Miller walking off.

The woman called 911, got in her car and followed after the men, police said. She reportedly told the law she heard one of them threaten to shoot her if she continued her pursuit.

A uniformed officer, Dennis Carroll, located the two men walking on Richards Street and stopped them, according to police. As he searched Barrow, Carroll reportedly saw the butt of a handgun sticking out of the man’s pants.

“The officer drew his Taser and ordered the suspect not to move at which time the suspect fled from the officer,” Police Chief Brian Benton said at the time. “As the officer gave chase and ordered the suspect to halt, he observed the suspect retrieving the handgun from his pocket at which time the officer fired out of fear for his safety and the safety of others in the area.”

Barrow, who was hit twice, was taken to Presence St. Joseph Medical Center. Police said a loaded .357 magnum was recovered from Barrow at the scene of the shooting.

The following month, Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow determined Carroll, a 14-year veteran of the department, was justified in shooting Barrow.

But the lawsuit filed this week in Will County court claims Barrow never actually pulled a gun and was “not posing any threat of harm to Officer Carroll or to any other person.”

While Carroll was frisking Barrow, the young man “became very anxious and tense upon learning that he was under arrest, but at no time did Barrow hit, punch, strike, or otherwise batter” the police officer, the lawsuit said.

Instead, the suit said, Barrow simply ran off.

Miller managed to escape but was later taken into custody and charged with theft, assault and obstructing justice. He is free on $30,000 bond while his case is pending.

Barrow was on parole when he was killed. He had been sent to prison on a gun conviction.