A man has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a Peoria teen during an attempted armed robbery in 2023.
The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office on Tuesday announced the jury verdict against Tramier Pate, 24. He was convicted of shooting Omarius Gates, who was 14 at the time, following a two-day trial.
The incident occurred near the intersection of Richwoods and Molleck shortly before 10:30 p.m. on June 26, 2023. Police responded to a report of a person shot and found Gates face down and unresponsive. He died at the scene.
Testimony included a recount of events by a cousin of Gates who witnessed the shooting, but was not identified in the news release. The cousin indicated the teens spent most of the day together, gathering with a large group that included Pate for a basketball game at The Woodlands apartment complex.
The group headed to a nearby store after sunset. As Gates and his cousin walked side by side, Pate approached from behind and pressed a gun into the victim’s back in an attempt to rob him.
Pate fired one shot into the teen’s back, testimony showed. Everyone in the group then fled, except for the cousin who called 911 and remained at the scene.
Pate’s sentencing is scheduled for July 9.
