Fatal Belleville shooting happened after man climbed through window, cops say

A fatal Easter Sunday shooting in Belleville occurred because the man who was killed illegally entered the home through a window and fought with the home’s occupants, police said in a release Thursday.

Keshawn D. Kent, 24, of Bellefontaine Neighbors, Missouri, climbed through the side window of the apartment in the 200 block of Freedom Drive, which was occupied by a 22-year-old woman with whom he shared children, according to the Belleville Police Department.

After allegedly battering the woman, police said another 24-year-old male who was in the house, shot Kent, who then fled the apartment and collapsed in the parking lot. The St. Clair County coroner said Kent was pronounced dead at the scene at about 11:30 p.m. on April 24.

Belleville Police Capt. Todd Keilbach told the BND the next day that a “person of interest” had been identified in connection with the shooting.

The St. Clair County State’s Attorney will not pursue charges against the man, however, the release stated.

“Belleville Detectives and Crime Scene Unit, with assistance from the Illinois State Police Crime Scene, conducted numerous interviews and collected key evidence,” the police department release stated. “ The case was presented to the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office for review. After careful consideration, the State’s Attorney’s Office declined to file charges in this case.

“No additional individuals are being sought at this time, and the investigation is considered closed.”

This story was originally published May 1, 2025 at 5:50 PM.