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ALTON – Five people have been charged in the death of Keron Hickman as well as the shootings of James S. Harrison and Jamal M. McIntosh.
The three men were shot in the early morning hours of Sunday, Aug. 26 in the 400 block of W. 19th Street in Alton. The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis was activated shortly after the shooting and as many as 28 investigators from 17 local law enforcement agencies answered the call. After working what Alton Police Chief Jake Simmons, Incident Commander of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis Lt. Ken Wojtowicz and Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons described as “countless hours” on the case, five people have been charged. Three of them are in custody of the Alton Jail. Two of them are at large and considered armed and dangerous.
Jordan T. Jackson, 20, and Daelin Hampton, 18, are both currently at large. Markell J. Taylor, 18, Kiondo Jones, 19, and Bryanna L. Kingcade, 19, are in the custody of the Alton Police Department at this time.
Jackson has been charged with eight counts following the incident, including two alternate counts of first degree murder, both Class M Felonies, for “personally discharging a firearm, with the intent to kill or cause great bodily harm to Keron Hickman by shooting him in the arm, leg and back.
He was also charged with attempted first degree murder, a Class X Felony, for discharging a firearm with the intent to kill or cause great bodily harm to Harrison. Harrison was shot in the back, which caused permanent disability and/or paralysis. Jackson was also charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, a Class X Felony, for that shooting.
Authorities have also accused Jackson of shooting McIntosh and was given identical charges for that incident as well.
Additionally, Jackson has been charged with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 2 Felony, having previously been convicted of burglary in Feb. 2017 in Missouri. He was also charged with aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4, non-probational felony, for possession of a handgun without an Illinois Firearms Owner Identification (FOID) card.
Once captured, Jackson will face a $1 million bond.
Hampton faces one count of unlawful use of weapons for possessing a handgun without an Illinois FOID card. Once captured, he will face a $103,000 bond.
Currently in custody, Taylor faces identical charges to Jackson with the exception of unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, as it appears Taylor does not have previous felony convictions. His bail has also been set at $1 million.
Jones and Kingcade, who are also in custody, are both facing aggravated unlawful use of weapons for possessing a handgun without an Illinois FOID card. Both are being held on a $53,000 bond.
A press conference was held at the Alton Police Department at 11 a.m. Thursday morning to announce these charges. Simmons, Wojtowicz and Gibbons each thanked the investigators who worked tirelessly to solve this case as well as offered their prayers and condolences to each of the families involved and victimized by this violence.
Gibbons warned anyone considering partaking in violent crimes in Alton, the Greater Riverbend area or anywhere within the jurisdiction of Madison County would face “Madison County Justice” for their crimes.
Hickman's death is the fifth homicide in Alton this year, which is a definite increase from previous years. Gibbons could not comment on the amount of homicides in the entire county in 2018. However, it should be noted each of these homicides in Alton has been solved in a short amount of time.
“This should be a clear example that individuals in the Riverbend area are joining with authorities to say violent crime will not be accept in our community,” Simmons said. “We are working together with the community to solve that crime, and we want to issue a warning to any criminal thinking of committing violent crime in Alton: Rest assured that the men and women of this law enforcement community will dedicate countless hours to find you.”
None of the authorities could comment on the motive of the murder of Hickman and attempted murders of McIntosh and Harris, but a source close to the family of one of the victims told Riverbender.com it was a “completely senseless act of violence” caused when some of the suspects refused to leave a party being held at that residence on W. 19th Street.
Anyone with information of the whereabouts of Jackson and Hampton are asked to contact the Major Case Squad at (618) 463-3521 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477). Again, they are considered armed and dangerous. The Alton Police Department and Major Case Squad have also consulted the U.S. Marshall Service to aid in their quick capture.