Suspect’s probation was set to end the day 3 Fairview Heights officers were shot
The 24-month probation sentence on a weapons conviction for 22-year-old Elijah Thompson was scheduled to expire Saturday.
That’s also the day the Belleville man was arrested in connection with the shooting of three Fairview Heights police officers, including one who was shot in her face, when they responded to a call about a prowler.
Eight days before the Fairview Heights shooting, Thompson had been released from jail after a St. Clair County grand jury decided not to indict him on an armed robbery charge that alleged money had been taken from a man in Belleville on April 16, according to St. Clair County court records.
And about two weeks before the shooting, prosecutors had filed a petition to revoke Thompson’s probation sentence.
Thompson, of the 300 block of North 10th Street in Belleville, was charged Monday with four counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated battery and one count of resisting arrest in connection with the shooting in Fairview Heights.
The three officers were shot when they were dispatched to Potomac Drive at 9:44 p.m. Saturday to investigate the report of a suspicious person prowling near a residence, but quickly determined the call involved “a possible domestic situation.” When they confronted Thompson, according to a news release, he opened fire on the officers.
The officers’ injuries
Officer Molly Muennich was hit in the face and was listed in critical but stable condition in Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis after the shooting. The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement that a bullet “exited through her jaw and hit her carotid artery.” She had undergone two surgeries as of Wednesday — one to stop the bleeding and a second to repair her fractured jaw. Muennich is expected to be in the hospital for a few weeks.
“Officer Muennich has a very long road to recovery, but for those who know her, we have no doubt she will be back if she chooses,” the Fraternal Order of Police said. “Her family was escorted from Indiana to the hospital that night by ISP troopers, and her fiancé was in southern Missouri, so an escort was arranged for him by the Missouri Highway Patrol.”
Officer Herminio “Tony” Raimundi was struck by gunfire in the arm and was released from the hospital to an escort of officers from various metro-east departments Tuesday. Fairview Heights Police Chief Steve Johnson said in a statement that a bone in Raimundi’s arm was broken.
Officer Andrew Ward was shot in the chest, but was spared serious injury due to the bullet-proof vest he was wearing.
“The vest clearly saved his life, and it appears the bullet entered the front lower portion and traveled up the vest and exited in the upper rear,” the Fraternal Order of Police said. “A matter of inches and some Kevlar saved this officer’s life.”
Charging documents allege Thompson used a Taurus GC3 9mm to shoot the Fairview Heights officers.
Two other officers were injured in a struggle with Thompson.
Thompson is being held at the St. Clair County Jail after he waived his right to a detention hearing Wednesday on the Fairview Heights charges. This case was remanded to the grand jury.
Suspect’s criminal record
Thompson’s previous criminal records in St. Clair County include the following:
▪ On April 30, the office of St. Clair County State’s Attorney Jim Gomric filed a petition seeking to revoke Thompson’s probation and requesting he be imprisoned for multiple violations of his probation.
▪ A grand jury declined to indict him on May 9 on an armed robbery charge and he was released from jail. He was accused of robbing money from a man in Belleville on April 16 while carrying a firearm, according to court records. No other details of the alleged robbery were listed in the warrant.
▪ Court records show Thompson was placed on probation for 24 months on May 17, 2023, exactly two years before the Fairview Heights officers were shot on Saturday. The probation was ordered after Thompson pleaded guilty to a felony charge of carry/possess firearm. A criminal information states he carried a Beretta pistol while at the Swansea MetroLink station on Nov. 23, 2021.
▪ Records filed on Nov. 30, 2023, allege Thompson committed the felony offense of unlawful possession of methamphetamine and the misdemeanor offense of resisting a police officer on Nov. 28, 2023. The charging documents allege Thompson ran from a police officer who had been holding Thompson’s arm in an attempt to arrest him.
▪ On Dec. 1, 2023, Thompson was charged with unlawful possession of controlled substance, a felony, as well as misdemeanor offenses of resisting a peace officer and obstructing a peace officer. According to charging documents, Thompson possessed oxycodone, refused to be handcuffed by two officers and refused to provide his identification information on June 14, 2023.
The April 30 petition to revoke Thompson’s probation includes the pending drug and resisting charges as reasons why his probation should be revoked. Thompson has a status conference scheduled for June 16 on these charges.
How to help police officers
Two funds have been announced as ways to assist the police officers and their families:
▪ Checks can be made out to Fairview Heights FOP #217. In the memo line, put Officers Support Fund. Send any checks to: Fairview Heights FOP #217, P.O. Box 4226, Fairview Heights, IL 62208
▪ Donations can be made to the Tyler Timmins Memorial Foundation. Donations can be sent by Venmo to @OfficerTylerNTimmons-MemorialF; or mailed to TTMF, P.O. Box 274, Bethalto, IL 62010.
This story was originally published May 22, 2025 at 12:34 PM.
