Joliet teen charged as an adult for alleged attempted murder
By Janet Lundquist jlundquist@stmedianetwork.com December 14, 2012 4:42PM
Updated: January 17, 2013 6:34AM
A teenager arrested this summer for shooting a gun in the parking lot of Joliet Central High School is now facing charges as an adult.
Frank Baggett, 15, appeared in bond court Friday afternoon on charges of attempted murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful use of a weapon on school grounds.
His bond was set at $250,000. Baggett’s father stood behind him at the judge’s bench during the hearing.
Baggett apparently argued with two fellow students on Aug. 27, left the campus and picked up a gun, then came back and shot at the boys in the school parking lot. Joliet police officers were called at 4:05 p.m. that day after shots were fired on the east side of the campus, 201 E. Jefferson St.
No one was hit by the bullets, though a window of the school was shattered, police said.
According to reports, witnesses saw one boy being chased through the parking lot by another, who was firing a revolver at him. Police placed the school on lockdown for about 40 minutes following the incident.
Baggett was identified on a surveillance video, prosecutors said. He was arrested the day after the incident and charged as a juvenile.
According to police, Baggett had four live .32-caliber rounds on him when he was arrested. Investigators believe the weapon fired on campus was a .32-caliber.
The charges were automatically upgraded to adult charges because Baggett allegedly had a weapon on school grounds and because he is age 15 or older, said a spokesman for the state’s attorney’s office. Even though he faces adult charges, Baggett will remain in custody of the juvenile detention facility unless he posts bond.
The attempted first-degree murder charge carries a sentence of six to 30 years in prison, aggravated discharge of a firearm carries four to 15 years in prison and unlawful use of a weapon carries two to five years.
Baggett is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 4.
