(JOLIET, Ill.) — An Illinois man was arrested and charged on Wednesday with attempted first-degree murder after he allegedly shot and injured a neighbor in an incident that “appears to be racially motivated,” according to the Will County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).
John P. Shadbar, 70, of Lockport Township, was arrested on Wednesday and was booked on four charges, including attempted-first degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
Shadbar is being held at the Will County Adult Detention Facility and is set to appear in court for a hearing on Thursday afternoon. It is unclear if Shadbar has retained an attorney in this case.
The victim of the shooting is a 45-year-old female, according to authorities, but her identity has not yet been released.
According to the WCSO, sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of 144th Place and Rickerman Road in Unincorporated Lockport Township, just southwest of Chicago, at 5:37 PM local time on Tuesday in response to a complaint of shots fired.
“Witnesses to the incident advised 911 that the offender, John Shadbar, shot the victim outside and was walking around his property with a rifle,” WSCO said in a statement announcing Shadbar’s arrest. “A reverse 911 call was placed to area residents to shelter in place due to this incident. Witnesses stated that Shadbar fired dozens of rounds of ammunition with an assault-style rifle at the victim from different outside locations.”
According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect barricaded himself inside his residence for a brief time after the shooting and was later convinced by a crisis negotiator to exit his residence “with his hands up.”
“While speaking to the crisis negotiator, Shadbar made several incriminating statements,” according to a WSCO statement.”
“Detectives are confident that additional charges will be filed regarding this case, as this incident appears to be racially motivated,” the statement continued.
According to law enforcement, deputies provided aid to the victim and she was then transported to a local hospital “in critical condition,” where she has undergone surgery for her injuries, which include a gunshot wound to her chest that exited her back, and a gunshot wound to her hand.
Detectives and investigators obtained video evidence of the shooting and are working to recover additional evidence pending a search warrant of the suspect’s residence, according to WSCO, and will provide additional detail as the investigation progresses.
Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley thanked the “heroes” from the sheriff’s office, the Lockport Police Department, and Lockport Township Fire Protection, who responded to the scene.
“They put themselves in harm’s way, knowing that there was an armed individual in the area with the ability to shoot at them from a long distance,” Kelley said in a statement on Wednesday.
“[They] collaborated and worked together to ensure that the victim could be stabilized and transported out of harm’s way. This is a prime example on how teamwork and training are important aspects of this job,” Kelley added.
ABC News reached out to WSCO for additional information and inquired about the potential release of surveillance video evidence in this case, but requests for comment were not immediately returned.
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