Southern Illinois family shooting has left a community reeling after seven members of the same family were shot, five of them fatally, over the weekend near East St. Louis. On Tuesday, authorities announced that two teenagers, a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy, have been arrested and charged in connection with the killings.

The Arrests

According to Illinois State Police (ISP), the two suspects now face serious charges. A 15-year-old girl, who has not been named, and 16-year-old Ja’ymier Davis were both taken into custody and charged in connection with the shootings, facing several counts of first-degree murder along with other felonies.

The arrests came swiftly. Authorities said the two teens were detained the same day after ISP officers stopped a vehicle that one of the suspects was driving.

A Family Targeted

What makes the tragedy especially disturbing is that all seven victims were members of the same family from East St. Louis. ISP confirmed that the victims were related to the 15-year-old girl now facing charges. The shootings unfolded across multiple locations in and around East St. Louis.

The grim discovery began on Sunday, when ISP found the human remains of three people at the Samuel Gompers Homes on the 400 block of North 6th Street. Investigators then called in assistance from their Public Safety Enforcement Group unit and identified four additional victims. One person was fatally shot at 39th and Summit streets, while another was killed and two more were injured at Jones Park.

Remembering the Victims

Authorities identified the five people who lost their lives in the shootings as:

• Cherie L. May, 49
• Shania W. Thompson, 25
• Devin May, 24
• Quentin L. Thompson, 21
• Patricia A. May, 74

Details about what led up to the violence were not immediately available, leaving many questions unanswered as the investigation continues.

The Charges Filed

On Tuesday, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office approved a lengthy list of charges reflecting the severity of the case. Those charges include:

• Five counts of first-degree murder
• Two counts of attempted first-degree murder
• Two counts of aggravated battery
• One count of aggravated vehicular hijacking
• One count of dismembering a human body
• One count of unlawful use of a stolen firearm

Davis was publicly named because he is being charged as an adult. Authorities have not yet moved to transfer the girl’s juvenile case to adult criminal court, though ISP indicated that the St. Clair County State’s Attorney will do so in the near future.

A Community in Mourning

Speaking at a news conference on Sunday, Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly sought to reassure residents, emphasizing that there was no ongoing threat to the public.

Kelly did not mince words about the gravity of the crime. He called the alleged acts horrific violence, describing the loss of so many lives in the community as terrible and evil. At the same time, he struck a note of resilience, insisting that the tragedy would not keep the city down.

Looking Ahead

As the investigation moves forward, the case stands as one of the most shocking acts of violence the region has seen. With two teenagers now charged and a grieving family and community left searching for answers, attention will turn to the legal proceedings ahead, including the expected effort to try the 15-year-old girl as an adult. For now, East St. Louis is left to mourn the loss of five lives taken in a devastating weekend of violence.