Two teenagers are in custody following a multi-location shooting spree in southern Illinois on July 12, which left five family members dead and two others wounded.
Authorities arrested a 15-year-old girl and her 16-year-old boyfriend at Frank Holten State Park after they fled in a vehicle, Illinois State Police said in a news release.
The victims were identified by police as Cherie L. May, 49; Devin D. May, 24; Patricia A. May, 74; Quentin L. Thompson, 21; and Shania W. Thompson, 25.
Though officials have not released a detailed timeline of the events, Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly confirmed there was a direct familial connection between the suspects and the deceased.
“At least seven members of the targeted family were shot at multiple locations in the East St. Louis area, and as of right now, five victims have been confirmed deceased,” Kelly told reporters on Sunday, as reported by NBC News. When asked if the two teenage suspects were related to the deceased, Kelly added, “One of them is.”
The Illinois State Police and the East St. Louis Police Department are conducting a joint investigation into what they described as a targeted attack.
The shootings occurred at three separate locations within a few miles of each other in East St. Louis, according to police. Three people were killed at the Samuel Gompers Homes housing complex, one person was killed near the intersection of North 39th Street and Summit Avenue and another person was killed and two people were wounded at Jones Park.
Because of the ages of the suspects, local prosecutors have remained limited in what they can share publicly.
“Largely, the Illinois Supreme Court rules limit what a prosecutor’s office is able to comment on, especially involving potential juveniles,” Chris Allen, a spokesperson for the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office, told the publication.
Patricia May was a retired employee of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, where she worked from 1986 to 2011, according to university records.
Those close to the younger victims shared details about their lives with local reporters. Shania Thompson was an aspiring chef who wanted to open her own restaurant, and her brother, Quentin, was an artist passionate about drawing and anime.
Devin May, a father to a 1-year-old daughter, was remembered by his wife, Chelsey Gatlin.
“He was a great father,” Gatlin told NBC affiliate KSDK. “A great person and a great man.”
His sister, Miranda May, expressed disbelief over the sudden loss of her brother and mother.
“Devin’s a hard worker and he loved his family,” Miranda May told the outlet. “I really don’t have no words to say. I can’t believe this. They were wonderful people with good hearts.”
She also spoke of her grandmother, Patricia May.
“My granny is so loved,” she said. “It just hurts to see that she was gone like this. It really hurts so bad.”
For Marcus May, the father of the 15-year-old suspect, according to KSDK, the tragedy represents the loss of his mother, his son and his daughter to his own child’s alleged actions.
“I can’t show her no sympathy,” Marcus May told the outlet. “She chose to do this. No stipulation. Everybody had a choice.”
A fundraising campaign has been organized to assist the surviving family members with sudden funeral costs and to establish support for Devin May’s young daughter. So far, the family has raised nearly $3,000 of its $6,000 goal.
“The family is now not only mourning the loss of their loved ones, but also facing the urgent need to support Devin’s daughter as she grows up without her father,” the GoFundMe page states. “Funds raised will help cover funeral expenses for Cherie, Patricia, and Devin, provide immediate support for Devin’s daughter, and start a trust fund to secure her future.”
The family will also require counseling and emotional support to begin healing from the trauma of the losses, the page states.
