Two dead after officer involved shooting

By Brian Stanley
Staff Reporter

Two people are dead after a domestic dispute turned into an armed confrontation with Joliet Police on May 27.

At 4:10 a.m. a witness in the 1200 block of Justice Lake Drive called 911 to report a physical fight between Nakia Smith, 44, and Kimiki Truss, 43, according to reports. Officers arrived to find the couple’s residence on fire.

“Entry was made into the residence, and officers were confronted with a hostage situation,” Will County Sheriff Deputy Chief Dan Jungles said in a statement. “The offender was armed with a handgun, and officers were fired upon by the offender.”

Smith was then shot by Joliet officers and later pronounced dead at the scene. Truss was taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, but died from her injuries at 5:03 a.m., according to the Will County Coroner’s office. Both the victim and alleged gunman sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

Three officers were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Jungles said. Because this is an officer-involved shooting, an outside agency such as the Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force, must conduct the investigation for the Joliet Police.

This is the second fatal shooting involving Joliet police this year.

On Feb. 6, Bruce Carter Jr. died after jumping at Det. Aaron Bandy with a boxcutter at Carter’s house in the 200 block of South Des Plaines Street. An investigation by the task force and Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow determined Bandy was justified in using deadly force against Carter, who had robbed a Joliet bank hours earlier.