Law and Order, Local, Local Police Reports, Park Forest

Ladarius Williams, 29, of Chicago Dead After Fir Street Shooting


Four Shot at House Party That Ends With Gunfire

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- A 29-year-old Chicago man, Ladarius Williams, died after a large house party on Fir Street erupted in gunfire. Mr. Williams died of multiple gunshot wounds, police said.

As eNews Park Forest first reported, police responded to a report of shots fired at 3:25 AM in the 100 block of Fir Street. This was early morning, Friday, April 7.

Police report a chaotic scene with multiple individuals fleeing the area, police said. Officers learned that there was an altercation between individuals attending a large house party inside a residence. This altercation culminated in multiple individuals shooting firearms.

Ladarius Williams, 29, of Chicago, died inside the residence. Police said Mr. Williams apparently died from multiple gunshots, police said.

Police found three other individuals as well with gunshot wounds. Paramedics transported a 19-year-old from Waukegan and a 28-year-old from Chicago to local hospitals, according to police. These two were then transferred to a Chicago area trauma center in critical condition, police said. Both of these victims underwent surgery and remain hospitalized, according to police.

Paramedics treated the fourth gunshot victim at the scene, a 22-year-old from Chicago. This person refused transport to the hospital, police said.

Park Forest Detectives and the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force members responded, assisted by the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit.

Police Recover Firearms

Police recovered several firearms from the scene, according to police. Gunfire also struck several vehicles in the area, police said. eNews Park Forest observed police investigating in the court directly north, across Fir Street.

Police have not yet announced any arrests in this matter.

The Central Park Apartments where the shooting occurred saw a complete makeover just a few years ago. The previous owner of the complex allowed many buildings to fall into disrepair. When new owners took over, they completely renovated the units. Landscaping also became a priority. The property stretches from Main Street on the south to Fir Street on the north. This is the first that neighbors there saw this level of violence.

The Park Forest Police Department and the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force are still investigating this incident, police said in the statement.

“The men and women of the Park Forest Police Department grieve for the victim’s family and for the tragic loss of life,” police said.

Police urge anyone who may have information to call the Park Forest Police Investigations Division at 708-748-1309.

About Police Reports

Please note that we repeatedly say “according to police” in these reports and often use “allegedly.” We are not asserting in any way that those police arrested and charged committed any offenses. We report on what is in the reports that the police furnish to us. As those accused are innocent until proven guilty, the burden is on prosecutors and police to prove all alleged crimes.

eNews Park Forest has continuously published the addresses of those arrested and will continue to do so. 5 ILCS 140/2.15 states that the governmental body (for these reports, the Police Department), shall release information on those charged, including their name, age, and address. This information is necessary to ensure the proper identity of those arrested.

Presumption of Innocence

An arrest does not mean that a person is guilty. The law presumes all those whom police arrest are innocent until proven guilty. It is the policy of eNews Park Forest not to remove items from the public record from publication. Suppose you find your name in the police reports. Our policy is that we will only add information relevant to the final disposition of the case at hand, e.g., “Mr. Smith was subsequently acquitted,” “Mr. Smith entered a guilty plea,” or “All charges against Mr. Smith were subsequently dropped.” We will do so upon receiving and verifying proof of such disposition.

We do not strike, “unpublish,” or delete news.

According to police, officers captured all the incidents in this report on body-worn and dash-mounted cameras at the respective scenes. All Park Forest police officers wear body-worn cameras. Officials typically abbreviate these devices as BWC in the reports.

We encourage persons wishing to leave anonymous information on any criminal matters, including narcotics or gang activity, to call the Park Forest Police Department Investigations Division at (708) 748-1309.


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