A 2-year-old boy, Angelo Alejandro Shelby, was found grievously wounded from a single gunshot inside his family’s home on the morning of June 2, 2021, in the 200 block of South Eastern Avenue in Joliet, Illinois. Officers arrived about 8:30 a.m., attempted lifesaving measures, and the child was rushed to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries. Investigators later said the shot was self-inflicted after Angelo found a loaded Walther .40-caliber handgun that his father kept in a television stand in the living room.

Initial accounts described the shooting as an accident. In the weeks after the death the community gathered around the family, holding visitation at Minor-Morris Funeral Home and services at Mt. Zion Baptist Church before burial at Elmhurst Cemetery; a fundraiser helped cover funeral costs and local reports noted Angelo would have turned three that August. Three months later the Will County State’s Attorney charged Angelo’s father, Vincent Shelby, with unlawful storage of a firearm within premises, alleging the handgun had not been secured from a child under 14; bail was set at $1,000 and a bench warrant issued when the charge was filed.

Police consistently described the shooting as a tragic accident and said there were no suspects at large. If anyone knew Angelo or has information about how the child gained access to the firearm, please come forward.