Gun play is not exactly common in any of the villages the Landmark covers. When it does happen, it tends to be pretty big news.
Last week’s shooting in Brookfield was one of those big stories for us. After police announced that late-night incident on Sept. 8, we tried to keep folks up to date on the latest developments, possible suspects and attempted murder charges against a 15-year-old boy who was allegedly involved.
A couple of things, however, we want to make clear, because as you might expect, the incident has some people on edge in the vicinity of Jaycee/Ehlert Park.
While the shooting happened on a street that borders the park, the shooting itself was not “park-related.” The offenders weren’t drawn to the area because the park is there.
And while we know that over the past year there’s been some police activity in the park for various offenses (Brookfest sticks out as a flashpoint for problems), the reason that the offenders were near the park is because they were looking for someone who happened to live across the street. The incident could have happened anywhere in the village.
People also want to know if this is part of some kind of gang dispute. While police have been clear in asserting that those involved have ties to street gangs, last week’s incident is not “gang related” per se.
The shooting does not appear to have been motivated by a vendetta. The victim got into an argument with three people, one of whom was the boyfriend of the man’s stepdaughter. Personal relationships seem to have driven this incident more than any gang connection.
That said, Brookfield – for that matter, anyone in the near west suburbs – can’t ignore the fact that gang members live in our villages and are up to no good. Vigilance is the key to helping police combat that threat.
It was due in part to keen-eyed witnesses and cops that a rash of bike thefts and burglaries appears to have been solved. A 17-year-old Brookfield resident, who allegedly targeted unsecured homes in his own neighborhood, is in Cook County Jail awaiting trial.
If there’s any good news to come out of last week’s shooting in Brookfield, it’s that the victim is said to be making good progress and is expected to make a full recovery. After being shot multiple times at fairly close range, it’s nothing short of a miracle.
While the gunman is still at large, we don’t believe residents of that area have anything to worry about. This wasn’t a random act. But it does serve to remind everyone to be aware and cast a wary eye at things that don’t look right in the neighborhood.
Odds are, if your gut tells you something doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t.