DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin and Willowbrook Chief of Police Robert Schaller announced today that bond has been set for a Chicago man charged with shooting a woman who is eight-months pregnant while she was traveling on Route 83 in Willowbrook.

Lawrence Grant, 38 (d.o.b. 6/23/1983) of the 7900 block of S Damen Avenue, appeared in Bond Court this afternoon where Judge Robert Kleeman set bond at $2 million with 10% to apply.

Grant has been charged with one count of Attempt First Degree Murder (Class X Felony), one count of Attempt Intentional Homicide of an Unborn Child (Class X Felony), one count of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm (Class X Felony) and one count of Aggravated Battery to a Pregnant Woman (Class 3 Felony).

On January 28, 2022, at approximately 7 p.m., officers with the Willowbrook Police Department responded to the scene of a crashed vehicle on Route 83.

Upon their arrival, officers found the victim, a pregnant woman, suffering from a gunshot wound to her back. The victim was immediately transported to a local hospital where the baby was delivered while the victim was in surgery.

Both the baby and mother survived. It is alleged that prior to the crash, Grant, the victim and another individual were involved in a verbal altercation that eventually turned physical in a nearby grocery store.

It is further alleged that after the altercation, all three individuals left the store in different vehicles with the victim traveling southbound on Route 83.

It is alleged that Grant followed the victim in his vehicle and fired at her, striking the vehicle several times and the victim in her back, causing the vehicle to crash.

At approximately 10 p.m., Grant was located at the University of Chicago Hospital where he was admitted on an unrelated matter.

The vehicle in which Grant was allegedly traveling was found on fire approximately one block from the University of Chicago Hospital. Grant was immediately taken into custody following his discharge from the hospital.

“The allegations that, following a physical altercation with the victim’s boyfriend, Mr. Grant decided to follow the victim, who was thirty-six-weeks pregnant, and open fire on a major roadway are unconscionable,” Berlin said.

“Thankfully, no innocent motorists were injured and, while still hospitalized, Mr. Grant’s alleged target and her baby are expected to survive. This defendant’s alleged violent behavior put the motoring public at risk and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I thank the Willowbrook, Darien and Chicago Police Departments for their efforts on this case. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Grace Barsanti and Joe Lindt for their work in securing strong charges against Mr. Grant.”   

“The successful charging of the accused in this case could not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of our officers, investigators, the DuPage County Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigations Team and the Chicago Police Department,” Schaller said.

“I thank all the men and women involved in this case for their contributions.”

Grant’s next court appearance is scheduled for February 28, 2022, for arraignment in front of Judge Daniel Guerin. If found guilty, he faces a penalty of between thirty-one years to life in the Illinois Department of Corrections.        

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.