ALTON - A man has been charged after an investigation into the shooting that occurred at 5:06 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, in the 1600 block of Washington Avenue in Alton. Alton Police and Fire responded to the scene and discovered one person had been struck by gunfire.
Immediately, detectives from the Alton Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) were at the scene to investigate this incident, and Chief Jarrett Ford said they have done so "exhaustively throughout the week." As a result of their efforts, the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office today charged Nekemar K. Pearson with the following offenses in relation to this incident:
- Count I: Aggravated Battery with a Firearm
- Count II: Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm
- Count III: Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm
- Count IV: Unlawful Possession of Weapons by a Felon
- Count V: Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons
Chief Ford said the victim was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, and ultimately flown to a Saint Louis area hospital for further treatment.
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"The victim continues to recover from his injuries at this time," the chief said.
An arrest warrant was issued and signed by the Honorable Judge Timothy Berkley, with a bond set at $250,000. Shortly after, with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service and the Illinois Department of Corrections, Pearson was taken into custody in the Chicagoland area. The Alton Police Department is grateful for the US Marshals Service and Illinois Department of Corrections’ assistance in arresting Pearson.
Chief Ford commended his detectives for the hard work and long hours they put in to solve this case.
"Their efforts send a strong message that those who chose to commit senseless acts of violence will not get away with it nor will it be tolerated in Alton," he said.
