Jacksonville Police have arrested three individuals so far in relation to a shots fired incident on Saturday near a downtown tavern.
Jacksonville Police, Morgan County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Illinois State Police responded to a shots fired call just after 11PM Saturday in the municipal parking lot located behind the West Morgan Depot in the 200 block of West Morgan Street. The caller advised they heard multiple shots near a large group of people who had gathered in a physical disturbance.
Upon arrival, police split up the physical disturbance. Officers then arrested 22-year old Deirrea A. Burton of the 800 block of North Main Street for mob action, two citations for resisting/obstructing a peace officer, and aggravated battery to a police officer.
According to police reports, Burton engaged in a large physical altercation involving several people resulting in at least one subject being injured. Burton is also said to have allegedly obstructed the investigation, resisted police, and struck at least one officer during her arrest. She has since been released.
Yesterday morning, officers called in a second individual to the Jacksonville Police station for questioning. At approximately 11AM, detectives arrested 30-year old Marcquila S. Harris of the 500 block of Cherry Street for reckless discharge of a firearm. She remains held at the Morgan County Jail.
Officers made a third arrest in relation to the incident at approximately 3:15PM Monday in the 300 block of West State Street. 21-year old Monaezia S. McGee of the 800 block of North Main Street was arrested on a citation of mob action. She was later released with a notice to appear in court.
Jacksonville Police Chief Doug Thompson says that the officer that was struck during the Saturday incident is going to be off duty, nursing an injury: “I believe this weekend was an isolated incident with people who were possibly either intoxicated or just having a bad night. Unfortunately, they took that out on one of our officers who is now going to be on the mend. That’s frustrating because the officer was just trying to keep the peace and gets injured to where that shouldn’t have happened.”
Thompson says there is a possibility of more arrests and charges being filed as investigation into the Saturday incident continues.