1 Wounded in Shootout with DEA Agents Near Joliet Mall

A man was wounded in a shootout with Drug Enforcement Agency officers near a mall in southwest suburban Joliet on Tuesday afternoon, authorities confirmed. 

Adan Godinez, 31, of Morris, was shot in the leg after DEA agents attempted to arrest him when an undercover officer determined he was in possession of two kils of cocaine valued at $70,000 a DEA spokesman said. A second suspect is in custody and two weapons were recovered, authorities said.

“It’s a scary situation," said DEA Special Agent Dennis Wichern. “It’s just a reminder, guys and gals, how dangerous it is at times for law enforcement.”

Godinez was taken to Will County Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Joliet Police Chief Brian Benton said uniformed police officers were on the scene in support of the DEA agents, but no Joliet police fired their weapons, only DEA agents.

“The actions of these suspects put the lives of our citizens and our law enforcement in jeopardy,” Benton said.

Sky5 captured the scene of a shooting that occurred during a DEA investigation at a mall in suburban Joliet on Tuesday.

Witnesses described a large police and fire response in a parking lot at the mall around 6 p.m., according to multiple reports.

At 6:40 p.m., the Joliet Police Department said in a Facebook post that no police officers or citizens were injured, and there was no danger to the public. 

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