Alorton man dies in East St. Louis shooting, police say
A 28-year-old Alorton man was shot and killed early Saturday morning in East St. Louis, police said.
Police are investigating the shooting death but no arrests have been made.
Vernard Harris of the 4100 bock of Alcoa Drive in Alorton was identified as the victim, St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. said.
“He was pronounced at 3:17 a.m. at the scene,” Dye said. An autopsy is expected to be conducted either Saturday or Sunday.
The East St. Louis Police Department has requested assistance from Illinois State Police in this homicide investigation.
Illinois State Police Sgt. Jarran Riley said Harris was shot at the intersection of 17th Street and Tudor Avenue.
Asked whether police know a motive for the shooting, Riley said no.
East St. Louis Police Sgt. Cantrell Patterson said a call came in to the police department early Saturday morning reporting a white van that had run off the roadway into a field in the 1500 block of Market Avenue.
“Police later located van at 17th Street and Missouri Avenue,” Patterson said.
The victim appeared to have been shot while in his vehicle, Patterson said.
“But, we are in the early stages of our police investigation. That is part of the investigation. We do not have many details right now,” he said.
This is the third homicide investigation in the metro-east since Wednesday. A Cahokia man was found shot to death on Thursday and a 16-year-old Belleville boy was fatally shot on Wednesday.
This story was originally published June 27, 2020 at 12:12 PM.
