Shooting death near Belleville was an accident, police say
A woman who died in a home on the 2500 bock of Lucy Drive Monday, shot her self accidentally while handling a gun with which she was not familiar, investigators say.
Nalisia T. Barnes, 20, of Delores Drive in Cahokia, was at the residence with four others when the 9mm Glock handgun fired, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department said through a release.
“It is being handled as an accidental shooting,” Deputy Bruce Fleshren said Tuesday. “It appears this was a tragic situation here the victim was not familiar with this firearm, accidentally discharged a round, and unfortunately struck herself in the head and did not survive,”
No one else was injured.
The four others who were with Barnes immediately began first aid, or called 9-1-1 for help, Fleshren said.
The gun was owned legally by one of the residents, he said. No charges are being sought in the incident, Fleshren said.
Police were called to a residence Monday at about 3 p.m. to investigate a report of a person shot.
When they arrived, deputies found Barnes with a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:33 p.m., said St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr.
This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 3:42 PM.
