Man Shot By Joliet Police Now In County Detention

JOLIET, IL — The 29-year-old Joliet man who police say pulled the trigger on a BB gun that fired air and was subsequently shot three times by a Joliet officer is now in the Will County Jail facing a felony offense. The Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow has charged Cordairel "Cord" Whitmore with aggravated assault, a Class 4 felony.

Whitmore, who lives at the downstairs apartment unit at 1200 Nicholson Street, was booked into the Will County Jail on Saturday afternoon. He remained there Monday morning and his bail was set at $100,000.

Romeoville Police Chief Ken Kroll told Joliet Patch that Joliet police went to the house in Joliet's Cunningham Neighborhood on Jan. 29 after "a neighbor called in a disturbance."

Whitmore was shot by the Joliet police officer standing on his front porch, in the 1200 block of Nicholson Street. Whitmore lives at the house with his mother.

According to the criminal complaint, Whitmore "knowingly engaged in conduct which placed" Joliet police officer Brian Lanton "in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery" in that Whitmore displayed a BB gun, "knowing Brian Lanton to be a peace officer performing his official duties."

Lanton is the Joliet officer who shot Whitmore, Patch has learned.

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

Relatives of Whitmore told Joliet Patch last week that Whitmore has had significant mental health issues and the Joliet Police Department was well aware of those.