1 dead, 22 injured in shooting at Illinois Juneteenth celebration

WILLOWBROOK, Ill. (WGN) – One person is dead and more than 20 others were injured in a shooting at a Juneteenth celebration early Sunday morning in Willowbrook, Illinois, police have confirmed.

Authorities were near the celebration, which began around 6 p.m. Saturday, “monitoring the scene, the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.

Shortly before 12:30 a.m., authorities were called away from the Juneteenth celebration for a fight, but, as deputies were responding, they heard gunshots and returned to the scene.

“Initially, I could see the scene coming down the street, and I knew we were going to have a significant response in the area,” said Battalion Chief Joe Ostrander with the Tri-State Fire Protection District.

Responding crews say they found multiple people injured after “an unknown number of suspects fired multiple rounds from multiple weapons into the crowd.”

As of Sunday afternoon, the DuPage County Sheriff has confirmed that 22 people were injured. Injuries ranged from graze wounds to more serious wounds, according to Ostrander. Several others were injured while trying to leave the area.

One person has died from their injuries, authorities said.

At least 10 people were transported to hospitals while many others self-transported. Fire officials said two victims are in critical condition. The conditions of those wounded were not immediately available, Eric Swanson, deputy chief at the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, told reporters.

Detectives are continuing to speak with victims and witnesses, as well as reviewing footage taken during the incident. There are no suspects in custody and no known motive for the shooting, authorities added.

“This is an ongoing investigation and information is very fluid at this time,” the Sheriff’s Office said, asking anyone with information to contact them at 630-407-2000.

Witnesses said a large group was gathered in the parking lot of a strip mall for a Juneteenth celebration when the gunfire erupted.

“We usually have a small little get-together and it’s usually always laid back, peaceful and I don’t know what happened,” Craig Lottie explained. “Anything could have happened. We were all out, having a good time.”

Rick Wagner, who lives in the area, said there were roughly 150 cars in the parking lot during the gathering.

“It was supposed to be a Juneteenth celebration,” Markeshia Avery, a witness to the shooting, told Nexstar’s WGN. She explained they were getting ready to leave when gunshots rang out.

Nicole Kozney said she was down the road from the scene when she heard a helicopter overhead and decided to see what was happening.

“They had everything closed, no one could get through. There was just tons of ambulances. It was crazy; it was hectic,” Kozney said.

Wagner told WGN he has expressed concerns to officials in the past about large groups gathering in the parking lot of this business over the last few years. He said large amounts of trash have been left behind, including empty liquor bottles littered across the lot.

“I’ve talked to the police in the past; DuPage County and Burr Ridge,” Wagner said. “Last year we were told they could do everything they could to prevent this from happening again. It happens like last few years every Juneteenth celebration and then the Fourth of July.”

Late Saturday night, one person was killed and another was injured in a shooting at a Juneteenth event in San Diego, California. Authorities were still searching for the suspected shooter as of Sunday morning.

Juneteenth commemorates when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free – two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.