Police: Stolen liquor spirals into shooting in Aurora
Stolen liquor, a stolen car, a shooting and a police standoff all happening within a few hours ended in charges against two Aurora men, authorities said Saturday.
Kane County prosecutors charged Jerrel Harden, 62, of the 800 block of Gladstone Avenue, with aggravated battery with a firearm. The shooting victim, 48-year-old Tony Lloyd, of the 600 block of South River Street, was charged with retail theft, Aurora Police Department officials said.
The trouble started when Lloyd asked Harden's girlfriend for a ride to a liquor store in the 1600 block of North Randall Street around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, police said. While in the shop, he walked out without paying for a bottle of liquor and was followed by an employee, police said.
The girlfriend refused to let Lloyd back into her car and a brief struggle occurred that ended in him driving away without her.
The woman told Harden about the encounter and he confronted Lloyd outside an apartment building in the 800 block of Gladstone. Both men argued, then Harden pulled out a handgun and fired, hitting Lloyd once in the arm, police said.
Police responding to a 911 call learned of the retail theft from Harden's girlfriend and reached Harden by phone in his apartment. Harden denied being there but police surrounded the building in case he was armed. Harden surrendered peacefully after about an hour of speaking with a police detective on the phone, police said.
Police found Lloyd in the 1200 block of West Illinois Avenue and took him to an Aurora hospital where he was treated and released to authorities. He also was wanted on three outstanding arrest warrants.
Both men were being held at the Aurora Police Department Saturday and were to be transported to the Kane County jail.