Romeoville man accused of shooting, wounding man who struck him with shovel

A 67-year-old man was arrested in Romeoville after he was accused of shooting and wounding another man who had also struck him with a shovel, according to a prosecutor.

At 10:25 a.m. on Saturday, Michael McArthur, 67, of the 200 block of Pell Avenue, Romeoville, was booked into the Will County jail following his arrest in connection with the incident.

During a bond hearing on Sunday morning, McArthur appeared on video from the jail. Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Adam Capelli told Judge Theodore Jarz about the events that led to McArthur’s arrest so Jarz could set his bond.

About 2 a.m. on Saturday, officers responded to a shooting at McArthur’s residence and also went to a hospital to speak with the man who was the victim of the shooting, Capelli said.

The alleged victim had been at McArthur’s residence to visit with a girlfriend and an argument occurred between McArthur and the man, Capelli said.

McArthur was accused of brandishing a revolver and firing a shot that struck the other man in the left side of the head, Capelli said.

The man managed to flee from McArthur and arm himself with a shovel, Capelli said. The man struck McArthur with the shovel and McArthur fired another shot that wounded the man, he said.

McArthur claimed he was acting in self-defense but a witness at the scene corroborated the alleged victim’s claim that McArthur fired his gun unprovoked, Capelli said.

Capelli noted McArthur had no recent criminal history except in the 1970s and 1980s. He said McArthur had convictions of robbery, aggravated battery, aggravated assault and a federal firearm offense during that time period.

McArthur told Jarz that he had been assaulted by the man he’s accused of shooting.

Jarz told him the purpose of Sunday’s court hearing was to establish bond, not determine guilt or innocence. Jarz told McArthur any statements he makes could be used against him.

Jarz set a $200,000 bond for McArthur, which was recommended by Capelli. No formal charges had been filed yet against McArthur.

Source: The Daily Chronicle