Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 14
Illinois Charges 2 Teens With Murder in 5-Family-Member Targeted Shooting
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 14

Illinois Charges 2 Teens With Murder in 5-Family-Member Targeted Shooting

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 14

Summary

  • Five family members were killed and two others wounded in East St. Louis, where prosecutors on Tuesday charged a 16-year-old boy as an adult and a 15-year-old girl in juvenile court.
  • Court records say the shootings hit three locations, mostly on Sunday, though one victim — Cherie May — had been shot days earlier.
  • Illinois state police said troopers stopped a vehicle and arrested both teens Sunday at a state park after what authorities called a targeted mass shooting.
  • Marcus May, the 15-year-old’s father, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch she was angry with relatives and planned the attacks with boyfriend Ja’ymeir Davis, but court documents list no motive.
  • Davis faces murder plus seven other charges, and prosecutors said the girl’s case could still be transferred to St. Clair County criminal court.

Insights

A father claims his daughter's anger fueled a family massacre. What turns a teen's family dispute into mass murder?
When a 15-year-old faces adult murder charges, is the justice system seeking retribution or a chance at rehabilitation?
Illinois invests millions in violence prevention. Why couldn't it stop two teens from allegedly killing five family members?