Shooting Guns Into Ground In Joliet Backyard Not Such A Great Idea After All: Cops

JOLIET, IL — Cops investigating a report of gunshots on the near west side found three men playing around with a shotgun in an Elizabeth Street backyard, police said.

The officers were called out shortly after 3 a.m. Thursday and spotted the three men — Justin Cox, 23, Michael Cullick, 25, and Nathaniel Giovanini, 22 — in the backyard of Cullick’s Elizabeth Street home, police said. The officers then reportedly looked on as one of the men racked a 12-gauge shotgun and fired it into the ground.

An officer announced that the law had arrived, police said, and the three men ran inside Cullick’s home, went down into the basement and refused to come out. They eventually emerged and were taken into custody.

Officers searched the residence and reportedly found the shotgun and a handgun. Officers also tested the three men’s hands for gunshot residue, police said.

All three were charged with the reckless discharge of a firearm and taken to the Will County jail. Cox and Giovanini were also charged with possessing a firearm without an owner’s identification card.