O’FALLON, Ill. – Police and prosecutors in O’Fallon, Illinois, are crediting neighborhood surveillance video for an arrest in a shooting investigation.
According to a spokesperson for the O’Fallon Police Department, officers responded to a reported shooting in the vicinity of Schwarz Meadow and Deer Creek Road on the morning of Jan. 6.
Officers arrived to find several shell casings, but no shooting victim. No vehicles or homes were damaged, either.
Many homeowners shared access to their residential security cameras, which showed the shooting itself. Investigators determined the shooter was not targeting any specific person or residence.
Police claim investigators used the surveillance footage to identify a suspect – Michael Williams. O’Fallon police located Williams, 23, in a neighboring jurisdiction and took him into custody. He allegedly had unspecified drugs in his vehicle, as well as a loaded handgun with an extended magazine.
On Sunday, Jan. 15, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Williams with armed violence, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a controlled substance. However, since Williams was on parole, the Illinois Department of Corrections issued a no-bond parole violation warrant.
Williams remains in custody at the St. Clair County Jail.