Three weekend shootings in Belleville leave one dead, three injured, police say
There were three apparently unrelated shootings in Belleville over the weekend, including one that left a man dead and a 14-year-old boy injured Saturday night, Belleville police said Monday.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the exchange of gunfire Saturday night that police believe was related to a drug transaction, according to a preliminary investigation.
DeMarco A. Davis Jr., 22, of East St. Louis died after the shooting, authorities said. The 14-year-old boy’s condition was not available Monday. His name was not released.
Davis was shot in an arm and chest, Assistant Police Chief Mark Heffernan said. Officers located the 14-year-old in the intersection of South Fifth and Polk streets after receiving a 7:24 p.m. report about shots fired and a person wounded in the area of Southside Park, Heffernan said.
About a block away from where the 14-year-old was found, officers found Davis in a vehicle in the 900 block of South Sixth Street.
St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. said Sunday that Davis was pronounced dead at 10:53 p.m. Saturday in the emergency room at Memorial Hospital in Belleville.
The 16-year-old “was located near the scene and determined to be involved in the incident,” Heffernan said. “He was taken into custody and is still being held at the Juvenile Detention Center.”
“Thus far, a preliminary police investigation indicates there was an exchange of gunfire between Davis, the 14-year-old victim and the 16-year-old who is in custody, related to a drug transaction. Detectives are continuing to investigate,” Heffernan said.
Police investigating two other Belleville shootings
Here is info about two other shootings that left two gunshot victims in Belleville:
▪ A 20-year-old man said he was walking in the first block of South 11th Street about 1:21 p.m. Saturday when he heard gunshots, police said.
“The victim stated he observed two male subjects wearing all black, one wearing a mask, in the area where he heard the shots fired,” the police department said in a news release. “The victim ran to a residence nearby and discovered he had been struck by a bullet in the leg.”
He was taken to a St. Louis hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
No arrests have been made in this case.
▪ Freeburg police arrested a person identified as a suspect in a shooting reported at 12:38 a.m. Monday in the first block of Garnette Drive in Belleville, according to Belleville police.
The victim, who reported her husband had shot her, was taken to a St. Louis hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect’s name has not been released because formal charges are pending, according to the news release. The victim’s name was not released.
Police chief, mayor decry gun violence
Police Chief Matt Eiskant and Mayor Patty Gregory both released statements regarding the gun violence over the weekend in Belleville.
“The men and women of the Belleville Police Department are committed to public safety in this community,” Eiskant said. “This was a very difficult weekend for Belleville. Our resolve to make our town a safe and prosperous community has never been stronger. We appreciate all of the citizens who came forward to assist us in these investigations.”
Gregory said, “It is extremely sad that the actions of a few individuals tend to reflect so negatively on our community as a whole. I would like to thank the men and women of our Belleville Police Department for their hard work and commitment in bringing those responsible for these senseless crimes to justice.”
Anyone with information related to these cases is asked to the Belleville Police Department at 618-234-1212 or CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).
This story was originally published June 26, 2023 at 3:31 PM.
