Police: Shots fired incident near Illinois Senator Meg Loughran Cappel's home was not politically motivated; suspect detained

(NewsNation/WGN) — A suspect has been detained after a gunshot was fired at the Shorewood home of Illinois state Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel on Tuesday, the Democratic lawmaker said in a statement, and authorities have since said the incident was not politically motivated.

The incident happened at around 4:50 a.m. Tuesday morning near the intersection of Bethany Drive and Highland Drive. Police said it wasn’t until 6:50 a.m. when they received a report of a home hit three times by gunfire. Officers then received word of another home struck by gunfire in the 500 block of Northgate Lane.

“My family and I are safe and I’m thankful that no one was hurt. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement as they continue their investigation,” Loughran Cappel said Wednesday.

The Shorewood Police Department said in a Tuesday social media post that an individual had been taken into custody in connection to two shootings carried out with the same gun, but did not explicitly connect the arrest with Loughran Cappel. 

“We will release more information when it is available, but for now residents can be assured that there is no further threat from this person,” the department said in a statement.

At around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, police said 32-year-old Dana Thompson of Hammond, Indiana, was arrested in Lansing, Illinois after her vehicle’s license plate was flagged by a license plate recognition (LPR) camera.

Thompson was then taken back to Shorewood and interviewed. During the interview, Thompson admitted to committing the shootings and told police several times that her intended target was a relative that lives in the area, according to authorities.

Investigators were able to determine the relative’s address and interviewed that relative, who confirmed the relationship with Thompson and their estrangement.

Shorewood police said the incident was not politically motivated in any way and Thompson was not at the house she intended to target.

“There was a sound. My son had heard it,” Loughran Cappel said. “I was shocked and initially you do think could this be politically motivated. I mean, thank God it’s not, it’s not and I want to put it out there that it’s not, but that’s the first thing you think of, unfortunately, in our times right now.”

Thompson has been charged with two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and one count of aggravated possession of a firearm in a vehicle.

She was taken to the Will County Adult Detention Facility pending a pre-trial release hearing.

Police said Loughran Cappel and the other homeowner did not know each other.

Loughran Cappel represents the state’s 49th district, which includes the suburban Chicago cities of Joliet, Plainfield, Romeoville, Naperville and more.

“At times like these, I am reminded of how precious peace and safety are in our communities. Violence is never the answer,” she said in a statement.

NewsNation has reached out to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office for more information about the incident.

Despite no political motivation, the incident comes as politicians across the country have denounced political violence after the killings of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, a Democrat.

Authorities have warned of an increase in threats against members of Congress, their families and staff. More than 9,400 direct threats and concerning statements were reported in 2024, more than double the number in 2017, according to data from U.S. Capitol Police.

Loughran Cappel said her family is safe and grateful for the outpouring of support from the community. She said the damage to her home has been repaired, but this has been a disturbing experience.

“I cannot thank law enforcement enough for working so hard on this and the community as well,” Loughran Cappel said. “I keep thinking about that other family that experienced this, and they’re dealing with probably the same kind of trauma. I don’t know if they have children. We don’t know one another, but this is hard on them, too.”