Crime & Safety

Man Dies after Being Shot at Joliet Restaurant: Police

Gerardo Franchini, 29, of Joliet, died after being shot multiple times at Louis' Family Restaurant in Joliet.

A Joliet man who was shot multiple times while dining with his wife and two daughters Saturday morning at Louis' Family Restaurant has died, according to the Will County Coroner's Office.

Gerardo Franchini, 29, was declared dead at 12:13 p.m. Saturday at Presence St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

Franchini was eating breakfast with his family when he was approached by another man and the pair got into a "verbal altercation," Joliet Police Cmdr Brian Benton said. The man pulled out a handgun and fired six or seven times at point-blank range at Franchini, Benton said.

Franchini was rushed to Presence and underwent surgery but did not survive his injuries. No one else was injured in the attack.

Police have the name of a person of interest in the case but have not yet interviewed him, Benton said. It's not known what the two men were fighting about, he said.

Although witnesses, including restaurant Louis Polimenakos, said the two men had argued about 10 to 15 minutes prior to the shooting -- with the suspect leaving and then returning with a handgun -- Joliet police have not yet verified that part of the story.

The restaurant was very crowded at the time of the shooting, and police asked many witnesses to come to the police station to be interviewed, Benton said. More information based on what they saw may be available later, he said.


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