Rachel Morgan reports that two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, have been arrested in connection with the horrific mass shooting in East St Louis, Illinois, which left five members of the same family dead and two others wounded. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with authorities describing it as 'targeted' and 'horrific violence'. According to Brendan Kelly, director of the Illinois state police, the suspects were apprehended on Sunday at Holten State Park, a recreational area east of the city.
While formal charges have not yet been filed against the teenagers, Director Kelly highlighted the community's resilience in the face of such tragedy. Notably, one of the suspects has a familial connection to one of the victims, although further details remain undisclosed. The shootings reportedly unfolded across three locations within East St Louis, and the investigation is ongoing.
The victims who lost their lives have been identified as Cherie L May (49), Devin D May (24), Patricia A May (74), Quentin L Thompson (21), and Shania W Thompson (25). Two additional victims were transported to a hospital in St Louis, Missouri, for treatment following the attack. Fortunately, no bystanders were reported injured during the incidents.
The incident is categorised as 'very rare' in Illinois state history, according to Kelly. This quintuple shooting event also fits the definition of a 'family annihilation', a type of crime typically involving a male perpetrator using a gun to kill multiple close family members. Research from July 2023 indicates that such events occur, on average, every five days across the United States.
The killings in East St Louis mark at least the 12th mass murder reported in the US this year, according to the nonpartisan Gun Violence Archive, with seven of these fitting the family annihilation definition. As of Monday morning, the US has experienced over 240 mass shootings in 2026, defined as incidents where four or more victims are either wounded or killed. Illinois maintains some of the strictest state-level gun laws in the country, requiring firearm identification cards for gun buyers. However, East St Louis is situated on the border with Missouri, a state with significantly more permissive gun regulations.