Gun Violence

The second suspect in last month’s early morning shooting and fleeing incident on the South Side that left two men dead has been released from the hospital and charged with first-degree murder.

A Peoria man charged in the deaths of two men during a string of criminal violence early Saturday will remain in custody until his trial begins.

A 20-year-old Peoria man has been arrested for murder and other charges stemming from a fatal shooting and crash last weekend on the city’s South Side.

Two people are dead, another person is wounded, and two suspects are in the hospital after a shooting led to a car chase and crash overnight Saturday on Peoria's South Side.

Shooting incidents, gunshot victims and total homicides in Peoria are down slightly through the first six months of 2026, compared with a year ago.

Gun violence in Peoria increased slightly in May, with homicides and shooting incidents now all above last year’s pace.

Tazewell County Sheriff Jeffrey Lower said Illinois State Police arrested Scott Tyler Benway, 39, on Monday and took him to the Tazewell County Jail.

It's not clear if any of the three shooting incidents within a two-hour timespan Sunday evening are related. Police are urging the public to come forward with information, photos and video related to any of the incidents.

Coroner Jamie Harwood said Marnelius Alexander, 23, of Peoria, was pronounced dead at 11:45 p.m. Thursday. Harwood said Alexander died of a gunshot wound to the chest and died instantly.

The Peoria County Sheriff's Office reports one of its deputies was shot several times during a traffic stop Saturday night and is hospitalized with serious injuries.