CHICAGO (CBS) – Pretrial hearing A 70-year-old man is accused of shooting and wounding his neighbor Last month in Lockport Township was adjourned until July after a court appearance on Friday.
John Shadbar has pleaded not guilty to several charges, including attempted murder and hate crime. Friday's hearing was supposed to be his first preliminary hearing.
The victim, Melissa Robertson, who attended Friday morning's court hearing in a wheelchair due to her injuries, came face to face with Shadbar for the first time since the shooting. He did not look at her while he was in the courtroom.
“Every time I come here, I'm going to be stronger and stronger,” Robertson said. “I hope I don't have this wheelchair next time, and that's the process.”
Last May, prosecutors said Shadbar shot her with an assault rifle outside her unincorporated Lockport home. They said no The shooting was racially motivated Because Robertson is white and has two black sons. Prosecutors also said he opened fire on Robertson five times and struck her twice during a heated exchange.
Her family previously said Shadbar regularly harassed them and shouted racial slurs at Robertson's two sons.
“Yes, I didn’t know it would get this bad,” she said. “I couldn't really imagine it at all, but sometimes he would shoot over the fence and it worried me and I made sure my kids were safe.”
After Shadbar's arrest, officers searched his home and found several guns, including two AK-47 rifles, a shotgun, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Shadbar faces charges of attempted murder, hate crime, and possession of a weapon without a FOID card, among other charges. He was previously arrested on felony charges in 1979 and has since had his FOID card revoked, according to the Will County Sheriff's Office.
Shadbar's wife works as a correctional officer for the Cook County Sheriff's Office. She is being investigated by the department as a result of the shooting and has been removed from her charge while this investigation continues.
Robertson was hospitalized for 16 days and underwent several surgeries to repair her colon and spleen. She had several of her ribs removed as well.
“It's the worst pain I've ever been in,” Robertson said. “It will take a few years. Multiple hand surgeries just to operate part of my hand.”
The judge ordered Shadbar to remain in prison awaiting trial.
His next court appearance is scheduled for July 11.
