Peoria Standard

One adult and one minor have been charged following a shooting in South Peoria that left two people injured, including one person who remains in critical condition after suffering a gunshot wound to the head.

According to authorities, Elijah C. Irby, 24, faces charges of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon. A 17-year-old male has been charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons. Both individuals will remain in custody until their trials.

Police responded to a ShotSpotter alert indicating 19 shots fired in the 2700 block of West Trewyn Avenue during the early morning hours of August 24. Upon arrival, officers found a vehicle with bullet holes and a broken window, as well as a blood trail leading into the street.

Officers located three males near the scene. When approached by police, all three fled on foot. Authorities say Irby was later found hiding behind a bush in the 2500 block of Seibold, where officers also recovered a firearm. The juvenile suspect was found hiding across the street; another firearm was discovered at that location.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed. Police are asking anyone with information about this incident to contact the Peoria Police Department at 309-673-4521.

In related community statistics, Peoria County schools had an average student-to-teacher ratio of 15-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year, with enrollment reaching over 27,000 students and nearly 1,850 full-time faculty members (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx). Teacher absenteeism rates for that period were reported at just over 32 percent for Peoria County schools (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx).