Joliet, Ill. – Police in Will County, Illinois have revealed disturbing details about the relationships between a suspect and seven murder victims. The suspect, 23-year-old Romeo Nance, allegedly went on a shooting spree in the Joliet area on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of eight people. Nance later took his own life during a confrontation with Texas police on Monday night.
The shootings took place at four different locations on Sunday. According to Joliet police, two of the shootings appear to have been more random, while the other two were targeted attacks on multiple relatives of the suspect.
The victims included the suspect’s mother, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, as well as two teen girls who were sisters of the suspect. The names of the two teen girls have not been released.
It remains unclear why Nance allegedly carried out the deadly spree or why he traveled to Texas. Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans expressed the difficulties in understanding the motive behind the killings. Nance was located southwest of San Antonio, Texas, on Monday night, and he died nearly 1,200 miles away from the location of the murders in Will County.
Authorities revealed that Nance had no known connection to Texas and believe he was attempting to distance himself from the crime scenes by obtaining Texas license plates for his vehicle.
The killings, involving relatives of the suspect, took place at two different homes on Sunday. Police stated that Nance was related to at least some, if not all, of the victims he targeted at those locations.
During a press conference, Chief Bill Evans reflected on the devastating crime scene, calling it the worst he had ever witnessed throughout his 29 years in law enforcement. Officials indicated that Nance had a criminal history, but no further details were disclosed.
President Joe Biden released a statement offering condolences to the families of the victims and emphasizing the need for stronger gun control measures in response to tragedies like this. The multi-state nature of the incidents highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement and the urgency of addressing gun violence in the United States.