ALTON - A serious incident occurred over the weekend at 12:18 p.m. Saturday in the 2000 block of Myrtle and Miller in Alton. Alton Police received a 911 call that shots were fired in the area and when they arrived they found shell casings close to a house in the 2000 block of Myrtle and that a person had apparently been shot.
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Alton Police Chief Jason Simmons said the incident occurred when several juveniles were gathered at this house visiting.
The chief said a 21-year-old male was shot in the arm but made it to Saint Anthony's Health Center for treatment.
"The grandmother at the house and everyone else in the neighborhood were very cooperative," the chief said.
Initially, officers surrounded the house, but it was never a stand-off situation, he added.
Chief Simmons said an 11-year-old was taken into custody for the shooting and four other juveniles ages 12, 14, 15 and 16 were also apprehended. The chief said there was a robbery attempt with the 21-year-old and when he attempted to flee the 11-year-old shot him. The 11-year-old also fired three shots that went into a nearby neighbor's home.
The grandmother spoke and said the COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely difficult for area children.
She said her intent was to have a few children at home and keep them close where they were safe and never believed this kind of situation would develop.
The grandmother said the children in the neighborhood need a place where they can go since they can't go to a park or play basketball.
"It's gotten bad out here," she said. "I was trying to keep the kids from running up and down the streets and getting in trouble," she said. "This (the official shutdown) now has gone on for weeks and it is very hard on everyone."
