Belleville man charged in shooting of 3 Fairview Heights officers
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. (First Alert 4) - A suspect has been charged in connection with a shooting that left three Fairview Heights Police Officers injured on Saturday night.
The shootings happened around 9:45 p.m. on Potomac Drive in Fairview Heights.
According to Fairview Heights Police, they were responding to the area of Potomac Drive for a suspicious person prowling around a home. When officers arrived and made with the person, they found it was a possible domestic situation. The person then began shooting and hit three officers.
According to a release from the Fairview Heights Police Department, one officer was shot in the face and underwent emergency surgery; she was later listed in critical, but stable condition. Another officer was shot in the arm, breaking a bone in the arm, and was treated at a hospital before being released.
A third officer was shot in the back, but a bulletproof vest the officer was wearing stopped the bullet. This officer was treated and released from the hospital.
Two more officers were injured in a fight with the suspect. Those two officers were treated at an area hospital and released.
Monday afternoon, the Illinois State Police Department announced that Elijah Thompson, of Belleville, had been charged with four counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated battery and one count of resisting arrest.
Thompson, 22, is being held at the St. Clair County Jail.
“We are grateful for the quick actions of our responding officers and emergency personnel,” Fairview Heights Police said in a Facebook post. “Please keep our injured officers in your prayers, as well as their families, and our entire department.”
The Illinois State Police is leading the investigation.
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