Lockport area man held pending trial in shooting of neighbor

Firearms recovered were recovered from the Lockport area home of John Shadbar, who is being held pending trial on attempted first-degree murder charges.

A 70-year-old Lockport area man is due back in a Will County court room this month on charges including attempted first-degree murder and a hate crime for allegedly shooting his neighbor.

John Shadbar, of the 16500 block of West 144th Place, is also charged with aggravated discharge, aggravated battery and felony possession and use of a firearm, according to police. His neighbor, a 45-year-old woman, was shot while outside her home May 7 in what police said appeared to have been a racially motivated incident, and suffered a gunshot wound to her chest, which exited her back.

She remained in critical condition Friday at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, police said.

Police said a search of Shadbar’s home turned up five firearms, including an AK-47 style of rifle believed to have been used in the shooting.

Will County sheriff’s police said they were called three past times to the neighbor’s home for issues related to Shadbar, but said there was not sufficient evidence to arrest him on any charges.

Shadbar was ordered held pending trial following a hearing Thursday in Will County Court and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 23, according to the case docket.

Shadbar’s wife works as a correctional sergeant at Cook County Jail, according to Cook County sheriff’s police.

The department said, per protocol, an internal investigation was opened Wednesday and that she has been de-deputized pending the outcome of that investigation.

Will County Circuit Court records show she was also granted an emergency order of protection against her husband during a hearing Wednesday. A court hearing on that matter is scheduled for May 29.

Will County sheriff’s police said Shadbar had his permit to possess a firearm revoked in 1979 due to a felony conviction.

Following the shooting, sheriff’s police searched his home and behind a paneled wall recovered five firearms, including an AK-47 type rifle believed to have been used in the shooting along with a shotgun and two handguns, the sheriff’s office said.

Sheriff’s police said the shooting victim had complained to police about ongoing issues with Shadbar, and police said responded to three complaints filed by the neighbor about him. No calls were received by the sheriff’s office in 2022 or 2023, according to police.

The first call was about Shadbar acting agitated and yelling at the victim and her children, police said. A second claimed Shadbar had shot fireworks and possibly a gun over the neighbor’s backyard fence, according to police.

Sheriff’s police deputies investigated both times, spoke with Shadbar and did not arrest him due to a lack of evidence, according to police.

Sheriff’s police said they responded at 5:37 p.m. May 7 to the area of 144th Place and Rickerman Road in unincorporated Will County near Lockport for a shots fired complaint. While deputies were responding to the scene, they were told a female victim had been shot by her neighbor.

Witnesses advised 911 Shadbar shot the victim outside and was walking around his property with a rifle.

After the shooting, police said Shadbar went back inside his home for a brief time and barricaded himself inside. A crisis negotiator with the Will County sheriff’s office spoke to him over the phone and convinced him to exit with his hands up. While speaking to the crisis negotiator, Shadbar made several incriminating statements, police said.

Police said they were able to obtain video evidence of the shooting from area residents’ surveillance cameras.

Police said witnesses told investigators that Shadbar had fired “dozens of rounds” from an assault-style rifle.

A GoFundMe site was established for the woman to help cover medical expenses, and her family said that she had several ribs removed during surgery and was shot in the hand, which will require reconstructive surgery. As of Monday, nearly $11,000 had been raised toward a goal of $75,000.