Identification of shooting victim at MetroLink station released by St. Clair County coroner

A man was found shot to death Tuesday at the Emerson Park MetroLink commuter train station near the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Community Center in East St. Louis, according to authorities.

Turyan S. Austell, 23, of Yorkshire Lane, Shiloh, was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound at 6:45 a.m. Tuesday at Memorial Hospital in Belleville, according to St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr.

The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis has been activated to assist the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department in the investigation.

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Sgt. James Hendricks confirmed the activation of the Major Case Squad.

“We requested the Major Case Squad to assist us in this investigation,” Hendricks said. “ We are not sure of the facts of this case right now. We can say the victim was taken to Memorial Hospital.”

A release issued by the Major Case Squad Tuesdsay afternoon states that sheriff’s deputies were sent to the train station to investigate reports of shots fired at 5:44 a.m. Deputies found a man there with multiple gunshot wounds and he was taken to the hospital, where he died, the release states.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call 618-825-5200.

Late Tuesday, the Major Case Squad posted a photo on its Twitter account and asked the public to help identify someone they referred to as a ``person of interest.”.

This story was originally published July 25, 2023 at 8:56 AM.