Freeport, IL – A 22-year-old Elgin man has been arrested following a shots fired investigation in Freeport Friday evening, according to a release from the Freeport Police Department.
Police responded around 5:36 p.m. on October 17, 2025, to a Sound Thinking alert near Walnut Avenue and Stephenson Street, where officers found a 33-year-old man who had been shot in the arm while sitting in a vehicle. The victim received first aid at the scene and was later treated and released from FHN Hospital.
Based on eyewitness accounts and surveillance footage, officers identified Josiah Franklin as a suspect. A K9 unit led officers to an apartment in the 100 block of South Cherry Avenue, where Franklin was taken into custody. During a search of the residence, police say they recovered a semi-automatic pistol believed to have been used in the shooting.
According to police, the Stephenson County State’s Attorney has filed felony charges, including Aggravated Battery with the Use of a Firearm, Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm (2 counts), and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon. Franklin is currently being held at the Stephenson County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Authorities remind the public that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
