Marion County State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth says two teens are in custody for the April 17th shooting at Laura Leake Park in Centralia that injured two.
Hudspeth says a 17-year-old juvenile was arrested along with 18-year-old Shavonte Samuels of Centralia in Anderson, Indiana on Wednesday. Both are being held pending extradition back to Illinois. Samuels is being held on a half-million dollar warrant charging two Class X felony counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and two Class One Felony charges of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm. The juvenile is being held on one count apiece of aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated discharge of a firearm.
Hudspeth has also released the first details of what led up to the shooting. He reports there was a confrontation between two groups that had both gathered in the park. Both teens in custody are accused of producing weapons and firing shots. Hudspeth says those involved all knew each other.
Hudspeth reports both of those injured were adults that first went to SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia and were transferred to St. Louis Hospitals. The names of the victims have not been released. A third person was grazed by a bullet but required no treatment.
The investigation was led by the Illinois State Police Department of Criminal Investigation. Hudspeth says the two suspects were identified from video and other evidence. He reports no other suspects are being sought.
