Five members of the same family were killed and two others critically wounded in a series of shootings across East St Louis, Illinois, on Sunday, in what police have described as a “targeted” attack rather than random violence. Two teenagers, one of them related to the victims, have since been taken into custody, though no charges had been filed as of Monday morning.
The attacks unfolded across three separate locations in the southwest Illinois city: a public housing complex, a park and a private residence, according to police. The five people killed were identified as Patricia May, 74, Cherie May, 49, Devin May, 24, Shania Thompson, 25, and Quentin Thompson, 21. The two surviving victims, who remain in critical condition, have not been publicly named.
Police explain the ‘mass shooting’ classification
Illinois State Police Director Brenden Kelly addressed why authorities chose to categorise the incident as a single mass shooting despite the attacks taking place across multiple sites. “Because they are all related and because of the definition of what a mass shooting is, and also the proximity that, yes, this is a large city where they deserve multiple complex crime scenes, but because of one common connection and the way this has played, it may be appropriate to characterize it as a mass shooting,” Kelly said.
Two teenagers detained after traffic stop
A 15-year-old and a 16-year-old, who police confirmed are related to one another though have not specified how, were taken into custody following a traffic stop. Kelly said one of the two teens is suspected of having played a direct role in the killings, and confirmed that one of the teenagers is also related to the victims, though further details of that relationship have not been disclosed. “The picture is coming together. We have a lot of ISP special agents, troopers, officers from our local partners that are actively involved investigating those particular questions, and I think that will become apparent over time,” Kelly said.
Motive still unclear as investigation continues
As of Monday morning, no charges had been filed against either teenager, and investigators have not yet established a motive for the attacks. Detectives continue to interview witnesses, examine forensic evidence and determine the extent of each suspect’s alleged involvement, with Illinois State Police describing the investigation as active and ongoing, and noting that further arrests or charges remain possible as more evidence comes to light.
Community grappling with the loss
The scale of the violence has shaken the local community. East St Louis Councilman Courtney Hoffman II told KMOV he was struggling to understand what might have driven the attacks. “It makes you wonder, what would make them do such a thing?” he said. “That’s where I’m at with it. Like, why? What would be the reason?” City officials have described the case as one of the most devastating family-related homicides East St Louis has seen in recent years, and have urged anyone with information to come forward.
