Darrick Dillon, a 19-year-old Black man from Chicago, Illinois, was fatally shot on the night of June 23, 2023. The incident took place after 10 p.m. at Scene75, an entertainment center located at 460 Weber Road in the suburb of Romeoville. An argument that began outside the venue escalated into gunfire. Darrick was struck by multiple gunshots and died from his injuries.
A 16-year-old was also shot and wounded during the altercation.
A wrongful death lawsuit filed against Scene75 provided more details about the circumstances leading to the shooting. According to the lawsuit, the teenage shooter had been involved in a fistfight inside the entertainment center earlier in the evening. After leaving the building, he allegedly retrieved a loaded gun from a car in the parking lot and was able to reenter the venue. The suit claimed that Scene75 failed to exercise reasonable care to prevent gun violence, noting the business had a policy that required all guests under 18 to be accompanied by an adult after 5 p.m.
The Romeoville Police Department led a lengthy and complicated investigation, which involved the U.S. Marshal’s Office and the Chicago Police Department. Through their efforts, investigators identified a suspect in the shooting. On July 20, 2023, authorities arrested 16-year-old Tavaris Blakemore of Chicago in connection with Darrick’s death.
Prosecutors charged Blakemore with first-degree murder and announced he would be tried as an adult. After a preliminary hearing, a judge ordered him to be held at the River Valley Detention Center on a $5 million bond. As of August 2023, the legal proceedings were ongoing, with Blakemore’s next court date scheduled for that month.
