An 18-year-old woman is dead and another injured in a domestic dispute shooting that took place on Saturday night that spanned across two towns, ending with the suspect taking his own life in Missouri.
Belleville and Swansea police were called just after 11:15 p.m. Saturday to the 1700 block of Jamestown Road, near the Belleville-Swansea border, for reports of multiple shots fired, as reported by local news outlet KSDK.
Victim Who Died was a Friend of Suspect's Ex-Girlfriend
When officers arrived at the scene, they found three female victims, including 18-year-old Shenandoah Burton, who was found deceased in the middle of the roadway. Two other young women were inside a nearby vehicle. One of them had been shot.
Belleville police said one of the women in the car had recently broken up with the suspect. Burton, the woman who was killed, was her friend.
Advocates say cases like this often involve what they call secondary victims, people who are not the intended target, but are harmed because of their closeness to someone trying to leave a controlling relationship.
"That's what's considered secondary victimization," said Darlene Jones, Executive Director of the Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois. "Even though he might not have been trying to shoot a friend, that's the result of the friend being with that individual while he was trying to commit that crime."
Suspect Later Found Dead with a Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound
Police say the suspect fled the scene. About three hours later, around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, deputies with the Perry County Sheriff's Department in Missouri spotted his vehicle traveling southbound on Interstate 55.
Before deputies could make contact, investigators say the suspect died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Belleville police say they are not seeking any other suspects.
Belleville police say the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Belleville Police Department Investigations Division at 618-234-1212.
