Holly MatkinJoliet, Illinois – Two people were killed and at least a dozen more were wounded when two gunmen opened fire during a massive Halloween house party early Sunday morning.
The mayhem began at approximately 12:39 a.m. on Oct. 31, when a Will County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) patrol sergeant heard between 10 and 12 gunshots being fired in the area of Walnut Street and Jackson Street, the WCSO said in a press release.
The sergeant raced towards the gunfire and came upon more than 100 people running down Jackson Street away from the area where the shots had been fired.
The sergeant exited his patrol car and headed towards the area of Grinton Avenue and Jackson Street on foot.
Fleeing witnesses told the sergeant a gunman had opened fire on a large crowd in the backyard of 1018 East Jackson Street, according to the WCSO.
Additional officers from multiple agencies responded to the area and located multiple gunshot victims in the backyards of nearby homes.
“Initial responding personnel began performing life saving measures and wound triage on numerous individuals on scene,” the WCSO said.
Additional gunshots rang out while first responders were on the scene.
“Over a dozen individuals were injured by gunfire and transported to local area hospitals,” and four victims were suffering from life threatening wounds, the WCSO said.
Two additional victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
Their families identified them as Jonathan Ceballos and Holly Matthews, WLS reported.
Both were 22 years old.
Investigators determined that the shooting occurred while approximately 200 people were attending a Halloween party at 1018 East Jackson Street.
Most of the attendees were teenagers, WGN reported.
“I just heard people screaming, saying, ‘There’s bodies on the floor! People are getting hit!’” one witness told WBBM. “I seen people come out with like blood on their hands.”
Witnesses said two shooters opened fire on partygoers from an “elevated position on a porch looking down over the crowd,” according to the WCSO.
One of the gunmen is described as an average-sized Hispanic male with facial hair.
He was last seen wearing a black flat-billed hat, a red hoodie, and dark pants, according to the sheriff’s office.
The second gunman is described as an average-sized, Hispanic or light-skinned black male.
He was last seen wearing a ski mask and a yellow hoodie.
Neither suspect had been apprehended and investigators encouraged anyone with video, photos, or potential information about the shooters to contact the WCSO.
