Man shot/killed Sunday evening
Kankakee City Police are investigating after a man was shot to death in the City Sunday evening. In a press release, City Police say it was just before six last night when they were called to the 12-hundred block of East Oak Street for a report of shots fired. The caller told dispatchers someone was trying to break into his apartment and he had shot at them. When they got there, City Police say they found a 35-year-old man lying outside the apartment where the attempted break-in had allegedly happened. Reports say the man was taken to the hospital where he later died of his wounds. The shooting is under investigation.
UPDATE: 12/22/25 10:06am: Fatal shooting victim identified:
We know the name now of the man who was shot and killed in Kankakee Sunday evening. Kankakee County Coroner Bob Gessner identified the shooting victim as 35-year-old Travis Hayes of Kankakee. Kankakee City Police say they got a call just before six last night from a person who said someone was trying to break into their apartment and he’d shot him. Hayes was found outside the apartment where the attempted break-in had allegedly happened. Hayes was taken to the hospital where he died about a half hour later. Kankakee City Police and the County Coroner’s office continue to investigate the shooting.
Gas prices down for holiday travelers
Gas prices are down as people hit the roads for the Christmas Holiday. Triple-A says the average cost for a gallon of gas is two-dollars-94 cents across the Land of Lincoln, that’s more than 30 cents cheaper than it was a this time last year. Triple-A says gas in Kankakee County is running 2.80 a gallon on average down a penny overnight and down 11 cents in the past week. Gas in Iroquois County is also running 2.80 on average. It’s 2.98 on average in Ford County, 2.99 in Livingston County, 2.94 in Grundy County and 2.85 in Will County. Across the State Line, Triple A says a gallon of gas will set you back two-dollars-66 cents on average in Newton County, 2.90 in Benton County and 2.80 in Jasper County. A gallon of gas is running 2.76 on average across the Hoosier State. The Nation-wide average is two-dollars-85 cents a gallon.
Griffith IN police make arrest in ice cream heist
Griffith Indiana police say they have arrested a suspect for the theft of 62-hundred-dollars worth of ice cream. Christopher Stewart is accused of stealing 258-cases of ice cream over several weeks and admitted to police he stole and re-sold it. The thefts happened in northwest Indiana and Stewart is charged with two Level 6 Felonies for theft and one misdemeanor for leaving the scene of a crash. The Level 6 Felony charges carry a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence if he is convicted.
Newton County, IN authorities warn of scam
The Newton County Sheriff’s Police are reporting another scam going around the area. In this one, the victim got a call saying someone was being released from custody and would be arriving at the victim’s home within an hour. The scammer then pressures the victim to pay for “an emergency protective order” by picking from their “tiers of safety” program. The scammer asks for the money to be sent to an individual and not a business. A Newton County resident was scammed out of some 13-hundred dollars. Authorities remind you that legitimate law enforcement or court services do not demand immediate payment over the phone or ask how much money someone has available. Anyone receiving similar calls is advised to hang up and report the incident to law enforcement.
Beecher Police look for attempted armed robber
Beecher Police are asking for help to identify those responsible for an attempted armed robbery in the Village. On their Facebook page, Beecher Police say there was an attempted armed robbery with a firearm at a vape shop on Indiana Avenue Friday afternoon. The suspect, who’s described as a white man, reportedly got into a car and took off. Beecher Police ask anyone with any information on the incident to contact their office.
Will County authorities release names of crash victims
Will County Coroner Laurie Summer has released the names of two people killed in a traffic crash in Elwood Thursday evening. Reports say two cars collided head on Thursday night, sending four people to the hospital. Summer says 35-year-old Joshua M. Villalobos of Elwood and 64-year-old Diane Hopkins of Oak Harbor, Ohio were pronounced dead at the hospital Thursday evening. Summer says Villalobos was driving one of the cars while Hopkins was a passenger in the other. Law enforcement officials continue to investigate the crash
Flu, RSV, COVID up in Kankakee County
Flu, Norovirus, RSV and Covid are all on the rise in Kankakee County. During last week’s meeting of the Kankakee County Board’s Executive Committee, County Health Department Administrator John Bevis was asked what can be done when someone comes down with a virus.
Bevis said unfortunately antibiotics don’t help when it comes to a virus. He reminded everyone to cover a cough and stay home when you’re sick
Powerball drawing tonight
Millions of Americans are hoping to strike it rich this holiday season by winning the Powerball and the next opportunity to do that is coming up tonight. The Powerball jackpot has grown to one-point-six billion dollars after no one won the grand prize on Saturday