John Shadbar: Illinois man accused of shooting at neighbor and screaming racial slurs at her children

WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS: Following an incident that "appears to be racially motivated", an Illinois man was taken into custody and charged with attempted first-degree murder and a hate crime on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, according to the Will County Sheriff's Office (WCSO).

The man is said to have injured his neighbor by shooting at her.

Lockport Township resident John P Shadbar, 70, was taken into custody and charged with four felonies, including attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

Shooting victim was identified as 45-year-old Melissa Robertson

Shadbar, who is being held at the Will County Adult Detention Facility, was denied pre-trial release by the judge on Thursday, May 9, in the afternoon.

According to court documents that ABC was able to obtain, Shadbar claimed that his release on bond would create "a specific, real, and present threat to the safety of any person or persons or the community."

Eight felonies were brought against the suspect, including three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm, first-degree attempted murder, and hate crime.

It's unclear if Shadbar has hired legal counsel for this matter.

The 45-year-old female shooting victim has been identified by the authorities as Melissa Robertson, Crime Online reported.

The Unincorporated Lockport Township, located just southwest of Chicago, is home to 144th Place and Rickerman Road. The WCSO reports that on Tuesday at 5:37 pm local time, sheriff's deputies were called to this area in response to a report of gunfire.

"Witnesses to the incident advised 911 that the offender, John Shadbar, shot the victim outside and was walking around his property with a rifle," WSCO said in a statement announcing Shadbar's arrest.

It further added, "A reverse 911 call was placed to area residents to shelter in place due to this incident. Witnesses stated that Shadbar fired dozens of rounds of ammunition with an assault-style rifle at the victim from different outside locations."

John Shadbar made incriminating statements during negotiation

According to the sheriff's office, the suspect briefly barricaded himself inside his house after the shooting but was eventually convinced to leave "with his hands up" by a crisis mediator.

"While speaking to the crisis negotiator, Shadbar made several incriminating statements," according to a WCSO statement.

"Detectives are confident that additional charges will be filed regarding this case, as this incident appears to be racially motivated," the statement continued.

Law enforcement reported that after deputies attended to the victim and took her to a nearby hospital "in critical condition", surgery was performed to treat her wounds, which included gunshot wounds to her hand and chest that exited her back.

In court, prosecutors detailed the years-long hostility between Robertson and Shadbar, claiming that Shadbar regularly hurled racial slurs at her two mixed-race children.

According to WCSO, detectives and investigators have video evidence of the shooting and are working to gather more evidence while waiting for a search warrant to be issued for the suspect's home.

Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley expressed gratitude to the "heroes" who arrived on the scene, including the Lockport Police Department, Lockport Township Fire Protection, and the sheriff's office.

"They put themselves in harm's way, knowing that there was an armed individual in the area with the ability to shoot at them from a long distance," Kelley said in a statement on Wednesday.

"[They] collaborated and worked together to ensure that the victim could be stabilized and transported out of harm's way. This is a prime example on how teamwork and training are important aspects of this job," Kelley added.