PEORIA – A man was killed following an early morning shooting that led to a vehicle crash in Peoria on Friday. According to the Peoria Police Department, officers were dispatched at approximately 2:41 a.m. to the 300 block of South MacArthur Highway after receiving a report of a vehicle crash in the area. Upon arrival, police discovered that the crash was likely connected to a shooting incident.
The vehicle involved had veered off the road and crashed along the west side of Martin Luther King Jr. Park. When officers checked inside, they found a man who had sustained a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities believe the man may have been shot before or during the crash, although the exact sequence of events is still under investigation. Police have not released information on what may have led to the shooting or whether there are any suspects.
In addition to the deceased man, another individual was reported injured during the incident. That person’s injuries were confirmed to be non-life-threatening, though police have not yet disclosed their identity or role in the event. It remains unclear if this second individual was inside the same vehicle or involved in a separate aspect of the incident.
The Peoria County Coroner’s Office is expected to identify the deceased victim at a later time, pending notification of next of kin. Further details about the second injured person have also not been released, and authorities have yet to confirm whether the shooting was targeted or random.
Investigators from the Peoria Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division are actively working the case. They are gathering evidence, reviewing potential surveillance footage from the area, and interviewing any witnesses who may have seen or heard the incident unfold.
This incident adds to a recent string of violent crimes in Peoria, prompting renewed concern from local residents about safety in the community. Police have increased patrols in some neighborhoods and are urging anyone with information about the shooting or crash to come forward.
The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities are asking the public to contact the Peoria Police Department or Crime Stoppers with any leads that could assist in solving the case. More information is expected to be released as investigators gather additional details and identify those involved.
The tragic event has left many questions unanswered, and the community awaits further updates as the case develops. For now, the focus remains on finding out what led to the deadly combination of gunfire and a vehicle crash in the early hours of the morning.
