A man is dead after a shooting Monday evening in Peoria.
Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood identified the man as 18-year-old Marcus Whitehead of Bloomington. He said Whitehead had multiple gunshot wounds and likely died instantly.
Peoria Police Sgt. Amy Dotson said officers responded to the 2100 block of West Lincoln Ave. at 5:04 p.m. Monday for a ShotSpotter alert.
Police found a Whitehead with an apparent gunshot wound. Life saving measures were attempted but he was pronounced deceased on the scene at 5:49 p.m.
A press release from Peoria Police Department on Tuesday says an investigation found two people came to Peoria to purchase a vehicle from a listing on Facebook Marketplace. Police say the two individuals were taken to an alleyway to see the car, where several armed suspects attempted to rob them.
During the following struggle, police say both the suspects and one of the robbery victims fired shots. One of the suspects was struck and pronounced dead on the scene, the press release does not explicitly identify them as Whitehead. Police found the robbery victim who also fired a weapon is a legal gun owner with a license to carry from another state, they were released from custody without a charge.
Police say the case is still under investigation and will be reviewed by the State's Attorney's Office.
Officials remind the public to be careful when completing online marketplace transactions. They recommend meeting at open, visible locations with video recording nearby, the parking lot and lobby of the police department is also available for use.
