The Joliet teen gunned down in the Lois Place apartments Monday night was killed while apparently looking to buy loose cigarettes, police said.
A Lois Place resident known to sell individual cigarettes from his apartment, 53-year-old Darrel Perkins, was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Tevin Bridges, 18.
Bridges’ body was riddled with bullets. Police officers responding to the shooting reportedly found a black pellet gun on the floor by the dead man, but Perkins said nothing to detectives about Bridges pulling it on him, a police source said.
Perkins did admit to shooting Bridges, the source said.
Two other men who were with Perkins in the first-floor Lois Place apartment told detectives that Bridges knocked on the door about 9:45 p.m., asked to buy some cigarettes from Perkins, then “balled up his fists” and advanced into the room, police said.
Perkins allegedly grabbed a black .38-caliber handgun and opened fire, hitting Bridges in the head and body. Perkins apparently dragged Bridges’ body out to the hall before the police showed up.
Bridges did not live in the Lois Place apartments but was “known to frequent” the buildings, said Joliet police Cmdr. Brian Benton.
Bridges’ mother, sister and at least two brothers showed up soon after the killing, Benton said.
“They were all highly upset,” he said.
Bridges’ sister reportedly tried to break through the police line to get to his body. Ten minutes after Bridges was pronounced dead at the scene, a man described as one of his family members was taken into custody on a charges of resisting or obstructing a police officer.
The man, 20-year-old Treston Adams of 403 Summit St., was later released on his own recognizance. Will County jail records list Bridges’ address as 403 Summit as well.
“It was very difficult for the family,” Benton said.
A crowd had already gathered in the hallway by the time officers arrived to investigate the shooting, police said. Lois Place residents reportedly told officers they had heard “multiple shots” coming from Perkins apartment, Benton said.
Officers then obtained a search warrant and reportedly located the .38. Police say they also found marijuana packaged for sale in Perkins’ apartment, so on top of the murder charge, he was hit with possession of cannabis with intent to deliver. Perkins was also charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
Perkins, who Benton said is “known to sell loose cigarettes,” may have feared he was going to be the victim of a holdup.
“Mr. Perkins has been the victim of robbery in the past,” Benton said.
The two other men in Perkins’ apartment fled after the shooting but were tracked down by detectives, police said. Perkins reportedly stayed in his home.
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