Joliet Officer's Shooting Of Cord Whitmore Ruled Justified

JOLIET, IL — The Will Grundy Major Crimes Task Force announced Friday that veteran Joliet police officer Brian Lanton was justified in his shooting of 29-year-old Cordairel "Cord" Whitmore, a Joliet man who lives in the 1200 block of Nicholson St.

Whitmore spent a few days recovering from his gunshot wounds at St. Joe's hospital before being booked into the Will County Jail. The Office of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow subsequently charged Whitmore with aggravated assault.

The non-fatal shooting happened around 10:20 a.m. Jan. 28 in Joliet's Cunningham Neighborhood area. Whitmore lives at the house with his mother, and she was not home at the time of the shooting. Whitmore was shot three times by Lanton.

Friday's news release issued by the Joliet Police Department included the following information:

"At 10:17 a.m. officers of the Joliet Police Department were dispatched to 1200 Nicholson Street in Joliet for a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers spoke with Cordairel M. Whitmore on scene. It was reported to members of the task force, that one of the officers went to his squad car to obtain paperwork on mental health facilities to provide to Whitmore.

"As Cordairel M. Whitmore was speaking with Joliet Police Officer Brian Lanton on the front porch of the residence, the offender produced what appeared to be a handgun and pointed it at Officer Brian Lanton."

According to Friday's news release, “on January 28, 2021, while committing an assault Cordairel Whitmore knowingly engaged in conduct which placed another, Joliet Police Officer Brian Lanton, in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery in that he displayed a BB gun knowing Brian Lanton to be a police officer performing his official duties.

"As a result, of Cordairel Whitmore being charged with the offense of Aggravated Assault, Joliet Police Officer Brian Lanton was justified in using deadly force when he discharged his firearm striking Cordairel Whitmore.”

Lanton has been on the Joliet police force since the spring of 1999.

As for Whitmore, he remained in the Will County Jail from Feb. 6 until his release from custody on Feb. 19 when he posted the necessary bond.

To read Joliet Patch's original coverage of Whitmore's shooting go here.