19-year-old man charged in weekend shooting death in downtown Belleville

A man has been charged in the weekend shooting death in downtown Belleville, Assistant Police Chief Mark Heffernan said Monday.

Omarion D. Williams, 19, of East St. Louis, is accused of one count of first-degree murder in the death of Aaron Metts of Belleville, Heffernan said. Williams will be held at the St. Clair County jail pending a detention hearing.

Metts, 27, was pronounced dead at the scene at North 1st Street and West B Street at 1:05 p.m. Saturday, according to St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. He died of multiple gunshot wounds, Dye said. Metts’ last known address was the 100 block of North First Street.

Police made an arrest within a few hours of responding to a noon report that multiple shots had been fired.

Officers found the shooting victim at the scene. They learned that a person of interest was in a nearby home and worked with the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office to get search warrants, according to Heffernan.

‘Belleville/St. Clair Regional Special Response Team went to the residence where multiple search warrants were executed and a person of interest was taken into custody,” Heffernan said Saturday.

On Monday, Heffernan said the State’s Attorney’s Office completed its review of the police investigation and issued the charge.

The shooting happened two blocks from Public Square, where the annual Belleville Chili Cook-off was being held along East Main Street.

Heffernan said Saturday the shooting had nothing to do with the cook-off and never posed a threat to anyone attending.

``Belleville police were in close communication with cook-off organizers and relayed information to organizers throughout this incident,” Heffernan said.

This story was originally published October 9, 2023 at 1:44 PM.