Belleville man found fatally shot in basement of house on Kansas Avenue
A 26-year-old man was found fatally wounded in the basement of a Belleville residence on Friday, officials confirmed Sunday.
The man has been identified as Emanuel Ratliff of the 1300 block of Kansas Avenue.
He was found unconscious by Belleville police, Lt. Todd Keilbach said. Police responded after someone called 911 with a report of an accidental shooting in the first block of Kansas Avenue at 8:30 p.m.
A 24-year-old woman and a child were waiting at the house for police, Keilbach said.
The woman, who police did not identify, “was hysterical and crying,” Keilbach said.
She directed police to the basement, where they found the man with an apparent gunshot wound to the upper left side of his body, Keilbach said.
Police officers and EMS personnel tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate the man.
The woman was taken into police custody, and the case was turned over to the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office for review. No charges have been issued, and the woman has been released.
Keilbach said the victim and the woman were in a domestic relationship, but did not release any more details Sunday.
Belleville police are not seeking any suspects, Keilbach said, but anyone with information related to the case is asked to call the Belleville Police Department at 618-234-1212.
This story was originally published June 7, 2020 at 5:12 PM.
