Peoria Standard

Six people have been charged with aggravated battery after interfering with police officers who were trying to assist a gunshot victim in downtown Peoria, according to Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi M. Hoos.

The incident occurred on September 28, 2025, at around 4:45 a.m. when officers responded to reports of shots fired in the 600 block of Main Street. Upon arrival, they found a man with a gunshot wound to his chest and began providing aid.

Authorities said that multiple individuals surrounded the officers and interfered with their efforts. Despite repeated commands for the crowd to back away, those orders were ignored. Officers had to physically push people back in order to assist the victim. Members of the crowd continued to ignore commands and surrounded officers, obstructing their efforts.

Six individuals—Jazzie Alston, Barry Anderson, Trennell Carter, Wesley Collins, Larenshia Harris-Moore, and Ariann Jackson—were arrested at the scene and charged with aggravated battery. All six are scheduled for a detention hearing tomorrow. Additional charges have also been filed against Anderson and Collins.

"This investigation is ongoing. If you have information regarding this incident, please contact the Peoria Police Department at 309-673-4521," said State’s Attorney Hoos.

Peoria County has a diverse student population across its 64 schools. For example, Dunlap High School reported the highest enrollment of white students during the 2022-23 school year with 873 students; Richwoods High School had the highest number of multiracial students at 182; Lincoln School led in Hispanic student enrollment with 218; and Peoria High School recorded the largest Black student enrollment at 798 students (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx). The average student-to-teacher ratio was 15-to-1 countywide during that period (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx), while teacher absenteeism was recorded at 32.3%, slightly below Illinois’ state average (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx).