EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — An Edgemont neighborhood in East St. Louis is shaken after a deadly shooting. Neighbors tell us it happened after an attempted car theft.
Amid shattered glass and a heavy police presence, neighbors said a burnt orange Dodge Charger is at the center of a deadly confrontation after multiple suspects tried to steal it, and the owner fought back with gunfire.
“It was just a man trying to protect his family," said Terrance Johnston, who lives down the street.
Police said they came to the scene at around 6:40 Monday morning to investigate the shooting death.
Johnston said the family has already faced two Dodge Charger theft attempts this month, costing them thousands.
“It's sad, good, hard-working people shouldn't have to go through that," he said.
Neighbors said thieves stole the daughter’s Dodge Charger just weeks ago, though police later recovered it. So when the man living at the home near 75th and Church streets saw thieves targeting his own car Monday morning, Johnston said the man defended himself after being shot at.
“If it was me, I would have done the same thing, you know, to protect my family," he said.
Johnston said it’s making him second-guess his own car choice. He owns a Dodge Charger too, drawn to the car’s performance.
“They're fast cars and people like to steal them and re-tag them, the youngsters," said Johnston. “They have me scared for my car now.”
Now, he plans to make his car harder to steal.
“I'm gonna block it in 3-4 cars, like my truck," he said.
The Illinois State Police is now leading the investigation. So far, they’ve confirmed that the case is ongoing. As police work to piece together what happened, this community is left grappling with fear and frustration, with families trying to protect themselves while hoping for change.