EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine and Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford announced Thursday that multiple charges have been filed against a woman accused of striking an employee of an Alton business with a firearm. Lashelle J. Barrett, 29, whose last known address is in Godfrey, has been charged with one count of aggravated battery, one count of unlawful use of weapons, three counts of aggravated assault and one count of child endangerment.
On Tuesday, June 6, 2023, Alton Police responded to the Rent-A-Center located at 2831 Homer Adams Parkway in Alton. After a review, the State’s Attorney’s Office issued the charges against Barrett. The charges allege that Barrett, who was not an employee or customer of that store, entered the Rent-A-Center unlawfully possessing a firearm, threatened multiple store employees by displaying the firearm in a threatening manner, and battered one employee by striking her in the head with the firearm.
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The endangerment charge alleges that, during the incident, she left an infant in a vehicle outside.
Bail for Barrett was set at $90,000 by Circuit Judge Tim Berkley. As of Thursday, Barrett was in custody in Missouri for a separate case. The State’s Attorney’s Office declined to issue charges against a Rent-A-Center employee who reportedly discharged a firearm during the incident and struck Barrett, concluding that this employee’s actions were not in violation of applicable Illinois criminal laws.
A description of the specific evidence reviewed to reach this conclusion cannot be released now due to the pending criminal cases against Barrett, who is to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
This charge and the statements made herein are based upon probable cause. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
