Woman killed by stray gunfire in East St. Louis
A shooting Thursday night left a 19-year-old woman dead and a man hospitalized with a gunshot wound.
The homicide victim was identified as Latayia Johnson of Cahokia. The unidentified 25-year-old st. Louis man who was at the same location was grazed in the head. East St. Louis Detective Lamar Martin said he was kept overnight at a St. Louis hospital.
GUESTBOOK: Offer your condolences to the family of Latayia Johnson
Interim Police Chief Felix Arnold said police received a call at 8:04 p.m. to respond to the 1700 block of McCasland in reference to shots being fired.
“The responding officer reported that individuals from two different vehicles were possibly exchanging gunfire. While they were shooting at each other, a male and female became victims of this melee of gunfire,” Arnold said.
Martin said Johnson was shot in the lower left buttocks and was grazed elsewhere by another bullet.
We’re still looking for the suspects,” Martin said.
Johnson had been standing on the corner doing her friend s hair. The friend walked away to take her children to a house nearby. A car pulled up and opened fire, wounding Johnson and the unnamed male. Johnson tried to run, but she fell, Martin said.
Police have not established a motive for the shooting and they don’t believe Johnson was the intended target.
“We think she was an innocent bystander, but we are still investigating,” Martin said.
Anyone with any information regarding this homicide is urged to call 482-6712, 310-9656 or Illinois state Police at 346-3990, or Crime stoppers at 1-866-371 TIPS (this is an anonymous tip line that pays up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest).
Contact reporter Carolyn P. Smith at 618-239-2503.
This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 6:15 PM with the headline "Woman killed by stray gunfire in East St. Louis."