Wife of man accused of shooting neighbor in hate crime under investigation
LOCKPORT, Ill. — The wife of a man accused of shooting his neighbor in a racially motivated incident is now under investigation.
Investigators say 70-year-old John Shadbar’s wife works as a correctional Sergent at Cook County Jail and that she was home when her husband allegedly shot their neighbor.
She has been de-deputized, pending the outcome of an internal investigation. Shadbar is facing nine felony counts including attempted murder and a hate crime.
He is accused of shooting a 45-year-old Melissa Robertson with a rifle on Tuesday.
Investigators conducted a search warrant at Shadbar’s home where five weapons were located inside a wall. There was two AK-47 style rifles, a shotgun and two handguns.
One of the AK-47 rifles is believed to be the weapon used in the shooting.
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Robertson’s family says Shadbar has harassed them and used racial slurs towards them ever since they moved in the neighborhood 10 years ago. Both of Robertson’s sons are Black.
On Thursday, they spoke out the Will County Courthouse following Shadbar’s initial appearance describing what they have experienced.
“He would just say the n-word and call me things that I’m not. And as tough as it can be I know I am head strong and I just ignored it but situation like this are hard to ignore,” Robertson’s stepson Mikael Johnson said.
Robertson is still fighting to recover from here injuries. She was shot in her stomach and hand.
Shadbar is due back in court May 23.
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