Kids Watch In Shock

"JOLIET, IL — A man fatally shot his girlfriend as she held the couple’s 16-month-old daughter during an argument early Tuesday.

"Delana V. Croom’s 9-year-old son and his 8-year-old friend then watched in shock as Darrell K. Richardson turned the gun on himself.

"`This is a pretty tragic situation,` police Chief Fred Hayes said. `After such a horrific act of violence (takes place) in front of young children, you can’t imagine what they’re going through.`

"It was shortly before 1 a.m. when shots and commotion brought police to apartment No. 207 at 301 N. Bluff St. The children were `all screaming to the neighbors,` reports said.

"Investigators learned Richardson and Croom, both 24, had been having domestic quarrels recently and Richardson had been sleeping on friends’ couches."

From The Herald-News...