One killed, one seriously injured in ESL shootings

A barrage of bullets left one man dead and another seriously wounded Monday afternoon in East St. Louis.

The names of the victims were not released by police as they worked feverishly to process the crime scene on 37th street at Van Buren on Monday evening. East St. Louis Police Chief Michael Hubbard said police received a call at 4:01 p.m. that reported shots fired and a man down.

“When officers arrived they found two gunshot victims. One was deceased and the other individual was transported to the hospital.” Hubbard said. He confirmed that multiple shell casings were located at the scene, but he said police had not located a weapon nor identified potential suspects as of 6:30 p.m.

“Based on information we have received thus far, the individuals were involved in separate altercations away from 37th street,” Huibbard said.

The victims are believed to be middle-aged. Hubbard said all police know at this time is that there was some kind of altercation prior to the shooting. But “we have not established a motive at this time,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard said there was not much information to release at this time as police are in the very preliminary stages of their investigation.

Pointing to a vacant lot, Hubbard said the two victims were located in the rear of it.

Police cars were everywhere. Crime scene tape was stretched from one side of the stree to the other. And a crowd of people came to the scene as the news traveled in the community.

One man could be heard telling an auxilliary officer that he was kin to the victims. He was not allowed to cross the police lines. Illinois State Police troopers were also on scene. They are jointly investigating the homicide along with the East St. Louis police investigators.

St. Clair County State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly was on scene, and he said the State’s Attorney’s Violent Crime Unit is working with East St. Louis police and Illinois State Police.

“Our victim witness coordinator has already spoken with the family,” Kelly said. St. Clair County Deputy Coroner Curt Schildknecht was also at the scene.

The condition of the second victim was not immediately available.

Police put out a radio broadcast for a black Chevrolet Tahoe with 20-inch rims, which was last seen southbound on 37th Street, heading toward St. Clair Avenue.

This story was originally published December 21, 2015 at 5:08 PM with the headline "One killed, one seriously injured in ESL shootings."