ALTON - The victim of a shooting in Downtown Alton had nothing to do with the suspects charged in the case and was an innocent victim, a court document recently revealed.
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“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” the victim told police, according to a sworn statement on file in the court system.
The victim said he was walking from Hiram’s Bar at 10:43 p.m. on Sept. 21 at Third and State streets in Alton when he heard “a commotion.” He said he started to run in the opposite direction but was hit in the leg by a stray bullet. Friends took him to an Alton hospital for treatment; he was rushed by helicopter to a St. Louis hospital for further treatment.
Meanwhile, several people saw the incident, and authorities also have video surveillance footage. Officers also found 9 mm shell casings and live rounds in the area.
A witness said he saw a woman firing a handgun several times during the incident. The witness told police that a man struggled with the woman and took the gun away from her. Another witness shot video shortly after the shooting.
Three suspects were seen entering a white Kia Optima with a registration number that indicated it is owned by Marcus Pearson of the 400 block of Church Street, East Alton. Officers used a license plate reader to observe the vehicle southbound on Illinois Route 3 near Wood River.
Later on that date, the victim identified Pearson as one of the suspects. The Kia was later found at 3 a.m. Sept. 26 at the Church Street address.
A woman identified as “Wakita” came to the door and claimed Pearson was “at work” in a tree trimming business. She was unable to explain how Pearson was able to trim trees after dark. Wakita then refused to fully identify herself.
Wakita L. Lampkin, 43, of Fort Worth, Texas, was charged with aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a firearm. Her bail was set at $100,000.
Pearson, 37, was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon. He was previously convicted in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, with use of a vehicle in discharge of a weapon. His bail is $50,000. Authorities have not revealed the reason for the conflict in Downtown Alton.
The document was filed in support of a request for a search warrant for Pearson’s car. The search turned up 9 mm ammunition and a holster.
On Oct. 8, Mayor David Goins and Police Chief Marcos Pulido announced a greater police presence in Downtown Alton, as well as a “zero tolerance” for violations, such as loitering, fighting, drinking alcohol outside and so forth.
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