JOLIET, Illinois – A 23-year-old man suspected of the shooting deaths of eight people and the wounding of another man in the Joliet area died from a self-inflicted gunshot Monday night as he was being pursued by U.S. marshals near San Antonio, Texas. A source confirmed that Romeo Nance shot himself in Natalia, Texas, a town about 30 miles southwest of San Antonio. Joliet police also later confirmed that Nance had been found dead. The apparent suicide ended a two-day rampage that included the worst violence some suburban police had ever seen.
The tragedy began when officers found “multiple deceased individuals” with gunshot wounds in two homes in the 2200 block of West Acres Road in Joliet. The victims included seven people, whom police believe were all related to Nance, and an unrelated man killed the day before. Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans described it as the worst crime scene he had ever seen in his 29 years as an officer.
Nance, previously considered “armed and dangerous,” had a criminal history, according to Evans. Investigators have not released the victims’ ages, genders, or relationships to each other. A Will County sheriff’s official said officers had been staking out the scene of a shooting Sunday, hoping the suspect, Nance, would return. On Monday, they went to his last-known address, and then to a related residence nearby, where they found blood. As they continued their search, officers found the other five victims across the street.
Previous court records indicate that Nance was on bond for a January 2023 arrest on multiple gun counts. Joliet police arrested Nance after he allegedly was involved in a car chase and shot up a residence. His subsequent charges included obstructing a police officer, criminal damage to government property, and battery causing bodily harm. Nance’s lawyer in those cases did not immediately respond to a call from the Chicago Sun-Times.
The investigation began when deputies were called about 4:30 p.m. Sunday to the Pheasant Run Apartments in unincorporated Joliet Township, where they found a man with a gunshot wound to his head. The victim, Toyosi Bakare, was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Bakare had been living in the U.S. for about three years. Another shooting occurred about 10 minutes earlier on the same day in Joliet.
Monday evening, police closed off West Acres Road for their investigation. Police and sheriff’s officials established a command post in a nearby parking lot. Residents expressed their fear and concern about the recent events. Family and friends of the victims gathered in the same parking lot, embracing each other in their grief.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the community, leaving residents feeling fearful and uncertain about their safety. The impact of the violence has been deeply felt, and the investigation continues to unravel more details about the series of events.
This article was authored with contributions by Jon Seidel of the Associated Press.