Joliet Man Shot, Killed While Dining at Restaurant with Family

Christopher Thompson, 31, was charged with murder and two felony counts

Charges were filed Sunday after a man was killed when a gunman opened fire at him in a packed restaurant in Joliet, Ill., officials said.

Gerardo Franchini was reportedly dining at Louis’ Family Restaurant, 1001 W. Jefferson St. in the Jefferson Plaza, with his wife and two young daughters Saturday morning when he got into an argument with another man in the restaurant, owner of the restaurant Louis Polimenakos told the Chicago Sun-Times.

The man arguing with Franchini then left the restaurant but returned 10 to 15 minutes later, walk into the back of the restaurant and fired six or seven shots, the Sun-Times reported.

Franchini, 29, of Joliet, was taken to Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 12:13 p.m.Saturday.

No one else was injured in the shooting.

Christopher Thompson, 31, was charged with murder and two felony counts of use of a firearm by a felon and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, according to the Will County Sheriff's office.

Franchini was also previously arrested and charged with felony manufacturing and delivering heroin in April of 2012 and was released one month later, the sheriff's office said.

More Local Stories:

Contact Us