Bar Stabbing at Uptown Sunday Night Leaves 3 Injured, Police Say

Updated on June 27:

Charges have been dropped against Daniel Dupree, accused of aggravated battery in the February incident. to read the full story.

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A Joliet man who instigated a knife fight in which three people were injured outside  on Sunday night has been charged with aggravated battery.

The incident occurred shortly before 11:30 p.m. when Daniel Jonathon "John" Dupree, 27, pulled a knife on a man who was smoking a cigarette in the alley behind the downtown restaurant/bar at 24035 W. Lockport St., Plainfield Sgt. Kevin McQuaid said.

When a second man came upon the situation, he began fighting with Dupree, McQuaid said. As the first man attempted to pull Dupree off the second man, Dupree allegedly swung the knife at him and stabbed him in the hand, he said. The other man was reportedly stabbed in the face.

After Dupree fled down the alley, Uptown patrons called and they were able to find the hand-stabbing victim at a nearby business, McQuaid said. The second victim is known but has not been interviewed by police yet, he said. Both victims are from Plainfield.

Dupree was picked up a short time later when he went to to be treated for a stab wound to the leg. McQuaid said he sustained the wound in the fight but it was unclear how the injury was inflicted.

Dupree, of 1301 Morgan St., Joliet, is described as an Uptown "regular" and was easily identified by patrons.

It's not know what instigated the fight, McQuaid said. All three men had been drinking together previous to the incident, and Dupree and the hand-stabbing victim were both intoxicated, he said.

None of the wounds was life-threatening, and Dupree and the hand-stabbing victim were treated at Edward and released, he said.

"We have had previous incidents with Mr. Dupree," McQuaid said. "He moved away from the area for a while, but he recently returned."

All three men have been banned from returning to Uptown, co-owner Jason Gruben said, emphasizing that this is the first such event that's ever happened at the business.

"It's very disconcerting," Gruben said. "We've been open 24 years, we'll celebrate our 25th year this August, and we've never had a situation where there's been a stabbing or shooting."

The owners plan to update their camera and security systems in an effort to discourage any future problems. 

"We care about the safety of our patrons and the safety of our employees," Gruben said. "We take this very seriously."

Anyone with additional information about the incident is asked to contact McQuaid at 815-267-7209 or Detective Chris Allen at 815-267-7215.