Officials: Man in robbery shooting had friend extract bullet
JANESVILLE — A Beloit man this week got a friend to remove a bullet from his shoulder, then put the shoulder back into its socket, rather than go to the hospital and risk arrest on an outstanding warrant, officials say.
Janesville police on Wednesday found Eleazar U. Tate, 27, of 541 Euclid Ave., Beloit, at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday at Motel 6, 3907 Milton Ave., Janesville, said town of Beloit Police Chief Steve Kopp.
Tate was taken into custody on the warrant and interviewed by a Town of Beloit Police Department investigator about a reported theft and shooting in the town around 5 a.m. March 1.
Tate made a statement that implicated him in the reported theft and could be arrested on theft charges, Kopp said.
The Rock County District Attorney’s Office will review the report of the Tate arrest and decide whether to charge the man accused of shooting Tate, Kopp said.
Police on Friday arrested Jacob M. Davenport, 31, of 1973 Shore Drive in the town of Beloit on a charge of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. He is accused of shooting at a car as it drove away, Kopp has said.
Davenport told police he heard someone open the door of a van parked in his driveway. He said the suspected thief got into a car driven by a woman. Davenport said he took four shots at the car.
Davenport was released Monday from jail. District Attorney David O’Leary said his office and police needed to investigate Davenport’s claim of self-defense before deciding whether to charge him.
When Janesville police found Tate, he had a gunshot wound in his right shoulder, and his shoulder was dislocated, Kopp said. Tate did not seek medical attention. Instead, he and a friend removed the bullet and pulled his shoulder back into place, Kopp said. The two then made arrangements to buy medication off the street, he said.
Tate was arrested on a warrant accusing him of felony escape. He failed to report to jail in October, according to court documents.
He was medically cleared at a local hospital before he was taken into custody at the Rock County Jail.
Tate appeared in court Thursday afternoon. Cash bond was set at $500.
