On January 3, at approximately 8:59 a.m., Kankakee Police responded to shots fired in the 500 block of S. Harrison Avenue. Upon arrival, officers located the scene and recovered several shell casings. KanComm Dispatch advised officers a silver sedan was observed leaving the area and may be involved in the shooting. Officers subsequently located the unoccupied vehicle in the 400 block of S. Wildwood Avenue, with the back windshield shattered, and the driver’s side damaged from apparent gunfire.
A resident in the area informed officers a black male wearing a white T-shirt and red shorts exited the vehicle and fled eastbound. Officers located the subject, a 33-year-old black male, in the 400 block of S. Wildwood Avenue with an apparent gunshot wound to his hip and thigh area. An ambulance was summoned to the scene. The Kankakee City Fire Department arrived and transported the victim to the hospital.
Officers canvassed the crime scene for additional evidence and were assisted by an Illinois State Police K-9 Unit. Kankakee City Detectives arrived and processed the crime scene. A Crash Report also was completed due to the victim’s vehicle striking a parked vehicle when the victim exited his vehicle while it was still in motion.
Patrol officers on the scene were able to determine a suspect vehicle – a black GMC Terrain, which was located shortly after the shooting by the Illinois State Police (ISP) traveling in Bradley. ISP initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and driver, but it did not stop. Several agencies participated in the pursuit. The suspect ultimately traveled to Momence, where he struck a vehicle but continued driving.
Kankakee County Deputies observed the suspect vehicle in Momence with one flat tire and attempted to stop it. The vehicle again refused to stop, and the deputies pursued the vehicle back to Kankakee, traveling westbound on Rt. 17. As the pursuit entered Kankakee, several agencies joined the pursuit as it traveled through Kankakee. The vehicle ultimately was stopped near the 2000 block of West Station Street. The suspect, Demetrius B. Lee, 33, of Kankakee, was taken into custody without further incident. The vehicle was towed from the scene pending further investigation.
Lee was transported to the Jerome Combs Detention Center and charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm, unlawful possession of firearm by felon, and several traffic-related offenses.
Several agencies assisted the Kankakee Police Department with this investigation, including the Illinois State Police, Kankakee County Sheriff’s Department, Bradley Police Department, Bourbonnais Police Department, and Momence Police Department.