Manteno, IL – A late-night confrontation at a gas station in Manteno escalated into a chaotic scene of violence and gunfire, prompting an urgent police investigation.
Just before midnight on Wednesday, Manteno police received a call reporting multiple gunshots in the 100 block of E. 3rd St. Responding officers arrived to find a shaken man in the gas station parking lot, recounting the terrifying encounter. The man, who has not been publicly identified, told officers that he was attacked by three men who punched him in the face without provocation. According to the victim, the assailants’ aggression didn’t stop there. In a dramatic and reckless display, the attackers allegedly fired a gun into the air as they fled the scene.
Manteno police acted swiftly, combing the area and stopping a group of three men matching the description given by the victim. The suspects were detained a short distance from the gas station, but a search of the men failed to turn up any weapons. Officers discovered five spent shell casings scattered in the area.
An investigation into the incident remains ongoing. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
