DUPO, Ill. – Several hours after a shooting killed a person, injured a police officer, and locked down a neighborhood just outside Dupo, Illinois, a friend of the suspect’s family urged prayers from the public Sunday night.
“I’ve only spoken to her via text,” Angela Cates said.
Cates is referring to her best friend, whose son, police claim, barricaded himself inside a home on McBride Avenue near Interstate 255, killed a person, shot and injured a Dupo police officer, and disrupted nearly a mile-long stretch of the community.
This all started on McBride Ave. at Stolle Road, just after 1:15 p.m. Sunday.
Police from Waterloo, Fairview Heights, Cahokia Heights, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, and the Illinois State Police, parked on Stolle Rd. They told neighbors it was too dangerous to go home. Cates said her friend was on McBride, speaking with police.
“It’s very hard on her. She’s a parent,” Cates said. “No matter what we do, our children…we love our kids.”
Cates said the man police are looking for has been troubled lately.
“He’s been through a lot. He does have a good heart. I don’t know what has happened here,” she said. “So, I’m not going to pass judgement on anybody.”
However, Cates was clear that police were investigating a crime.
“I believe that killing anybody is ever right. That’s wrong,” she said.
Cates leaned on her faith to help her be there for her best friend, her friend’s family, and this whole community under siege from day until night.
“If we would all just stop and pray. There’s been a lot of people that have been devastated today. A lot of people,” she said.
Many sources we spoke with provided the alleged shooter’s name. Police would not confirm that information. Police also did not give the name of the person who died, nor have they given an update on the injured officer.