Dec. 11--DUPO -- A shooting Wednesday night that involved a pistol stolen four years ago from the car of an Illinois State Police trooper is under investigation, Dupo Police Chief Doug Keys said Saturday.
An early suspect was a former area elected township official who was questioned but not arrested, said Keys. The former official, who is not being identified because he has not been charged with any crime, denied any involvement.
Keys said police are questioning a suspect. "We have a suspect in custody who has not been charged," he said.
The incident occurred about 7:30 p.m. and involved multiple shots fired into a private residence without anyone being hit, Keys said.
The gun used in the shooting was stolen in March 2007 from Illinois State Police Sgt. Karen Gordon's car, O'Fallon Police Chief John Betten said. Gordon could not be reached for comment.
The car was left in the parking lot of Gold's Gym at 1160 Central Park Drive in O'Fallon. It was reported stolen to O'Fallon Police. The pistol was her personal weapon, not her duty weapon, according to Betten.
On Wednesday, Dupo police recovered the gun from a vehicle. The gun was recovered as part of an investigation into the shooting.
"It was my understanding that there were two people in custody," Betten said.
The former elected township official who initially was questioned by police told the Belleville News-Democrat on Friday that he was drinking at a bar in Dupo when a police officer came in and asked him to step outside.
"They asked me if I had fired a gun that night and I told them no," the former official said. He commented that while he owned a number of personal firearms, "I don't own any that have gotten into trouble."
State Police Capt. Jim Morrisey said Friday that he was unaware of any reported stolen firearms involving troopers from District 11 in Collinsville.
Contact reporter George Pawlaczyk at [email protected] and 239-2625 and Beth Hundsdorfer at [email protected] and 239-2570.
Copyright 2011 - Belleville News-Democrat, Ill.
