MOUNT VERNON, Ill. -- A man is in jail after leading police on a pursuit as he was suspected of shooting another person early Monday morning.
Mayor John Lewis stated on the Mount Vernon Police Department’s Facebook page that it happened early December 25, at around 12:53 a.m. That’s when he said an officer saw a person identified as Maliq I Petties, 20, allegedly shoot someone else with a gun in the area of the 300-block of South 9th Street.
The officer approached Petties and gave commands to him but Petties then fled the area in a vehicle. This began a pursuit through the city of Mount Vernon, reaching up to 100 mph on Broadway, Lewis stated.
The pursuit then went north on I-57 in the southbound lanes. Lewis stated the vehicle Petties was in hit a Mount Vernon Police squad car which then caused damage to both vehicles.
Petties then got out of the vehicle but kept running away from police. Petties also allegedly fired a shot during this time as well, however, nobody was injured from it.
Police were able to catch up to him and take Petties in custody.
Lewis stated a gun was found at the scene as well.
Two officers were taken to the hospital for treatment and were released.
The victim from the shooting along South 9th Street was taken to a local hospital and then taken to a hospital in the St. Louis area.
Illinois State Police are investigating the traffic crash and investigating a shot fired from an officer’s gun. Lewis said this is a common practice with officer-involved shooting incidents.
Petties was taken to the Jefferson County Justice Center where he faces charges of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm, Aggravated Fleeing/Attempting to Elude, Armed Violence, Resisting Arrest, Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon and a Franklin County warrant.
Lewis said in the social post, “Petties remained combative with Jefferson County Correctional Officers and no booking photograph was obtained.�
