Man injured in Joliet police shooting allegedly pointed air pistol modeled after handgun at officer
Naperville man who allegedly brandished BB gun shot, killed by Joliet police last month
JOLIET, Ill. (WLS) -- Joliet police shot a 29-year-old Joliet man Thursday who pointed an air pistol at officers, officials said Friday.
Police identified the man as Cordairel Whitmore and said Friday he was alert and cooperating with the investigation. He is stable at St Joseph's Medical Center, police said.
Officers responded to a home in the 1200-block of Nicholson Street shortly after 10:15 a.m. Thursday for a call about a disturbance. Investigators said when they arrived, they spoke to Whitmore. At some point during their conversation, he pulled out what was later identified as a a Sig Sauer P365 Air Pistol and pointed it at one of the officers, according to investigators.
The air pistol is made to look and feel like the 9mm version of this same handgun, according to police.
An officer who has been with Joliet police for over 20 years fired shots at the man, hitting him three times, officials said. Whitmore was taken to St. Joseph's Medical Center where he underwent surgery, according to investigators with the Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force.
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"We have been asking for police reforms from the city of Joliet since June," said Suzanna Ibarra, an activist with Will County Progressives who came to the scene. "We've been asking since June for bodycams. If the police reforms were in place, if the city of Joliet had taken us seriously, there would be bodycams that gave the story, chronicled what happened."
The two officers were taken to Silver Cross Hospital for evaluation and then released.
They will be interviewed by the task force next week.
The Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the shooting. Investigators said they have spoken to multiple witnesses to the shooting, who corroborated the officers' account.
The task force is reportedly working closely with the Will County State's Attorney's Office regarding this incident.
Joliet police shot and killed a 19-year-old Naperville man in late December, who was allegedly brandishing a BB gun.
