Editor’s note: This article discusses domestic violence. If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence or an abusive relationship, call the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233) or visit www.thehotline.org. Callers can remain anonymous.

Two teenagers have been taken into custody following a shooting spree targeting a family in southern Illinois that left five people dead and two others wounded, authorities said.

The 15- and 16-year-old suspects were arrested on July 12 at Frank Holten State Park, a recreation area near the city of East St. Louis, according to the Illinois State Police. The suspects were apprehended after state police officers executed a precision immobilization technique, or PIT, maneuver on a vehicle that one of the suspects was driving.

During a brief news conference, Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said the shootings unfolded at three locations within a few miles of one another and targeted members of the same family.

“At least seven members of the targeted family were shot at multiple locations in the East St. Louis area, and as of right now, five victims have been confirmed deceased,” Kelly said, adding that the two other victims were seriously injured.

At least one of the suspects is related to the victims, according to Kelly. State police declined to provide further details on the suspects and the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Kelly noted that state police are working with the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office and will seek charges against the suspects. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

East St. Louis is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, and has a population of nearly 18,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The city is located across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis.

Domestic violence: Can family abuse be halted by psychological intimidation laws? These states are trying

Victims slain in shooting spree identified

State police identified the five people killed as Cherie L. May, 49; Devin D. May, 24; Patricia A. May, 74; Quentin L. Thompson, 21; and Shania W. Thompson, 25.

One victim was killed near North 39th Street and Summit Avenue, three were killed at the Samuel Gompers Homes, and another died at Jones Park, according to Kelly.

The two other victims were wounded at Jones Park and survived, Kelly said. They sustained serious injuries and were being treated at a hospital in St. Louis.

“These alleged acts of horrific violence, taking this number of lives, here in this community it’s terrible. It’s evil, but it will not keep this city down,” Kelly said.

‘Will I be detained?’ Immigrants fear ICE arrest if they report domestic violence

Latest domestic-related shooting

The incident in East St. Louis is the latest domestic-related shooting to occur in the United States in recent months.

A man killed four people, including his parents, brother, and his brother’s girlfriend, in a shooting at the family’s home in suburban Detroit before surrendering to police on June 9, authorities said. At the time, police said the suspect had a “contentious relationship” with his parents.

• RAGBRAI will feature popular Iowa party bands Hairball and the Pork Tornadoes on back-to-back nights.
• Guthrie Center’s entertainment lineup will highlight original Iowa music, including The Nadas and The Weary Ramblers.

What would RAGBRAI be without Hairball and the Pork Tornadoes?

Cyclists on the July 19-25 ride will have the chance to rock with both of the venerable Iowa party bands as they perform on back-to-back nights.

They’re perennials on the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, as traditional as the Mississippi River tire dip. Hairball will bring its signature pyrotechnic, costumed arena rock tribute to the main stage in the overnight town of Boone on Tuesday, July 21, and the Pork Tornadoes will be in Marshalltown on July 22 to perform selections from their seemingly endless, genre-spanning repertoire.

Other headlining party-cover faves booked in RAGBRAI overnight towns will include the Spazmatics in Dyersville, Not Quite Brothers in Independence and Gut Feeling in Onawa.

But if you’re a fan of original music, make plans to spend a little extra time at the stage in Guthrie Center, the Monday, Day 2, overnight town.

While Gimikk, a RAGBRAI classic cover band that also proudly performs some originals, will be the headliner, don’t miss the other Iowa originals on the bill.

Most prominent are the Nadas, a fixture on the state’s music scene for nearly 35 years. Co-founders Jason Walsmith and Mike Butterworth got their start in Ames in the early 1990s while students at Iowa State University. Expanding into a five-member ensemble, they worked to build a following across the country and have sold thousands of records on their independent Authentic label featuring their original, alt-rock-leaning folk-Americana tunes.

Marking 25 years of the Nadas in 2018, Walsmith told the Register, “As long as it’s fun, we’re always going to do it.” And they still are, performing regularly and adding another album, “Come Along for the Ride,” to their lengthy discography in 2023.

Also on the bill: a duo that has launched with a bang. The Weary Ramblers, Iowans Chad Elliott and Kathryn Severing Fox, are songwriting and performing partners who got their start in 2022. Elliott, a veteran guitarist and singer on the Iowa scene, and Severing Fox, a classically trained musician steeped in jazz violin, released a debut album in 2024 that hit the top 10 on the Americana charts and produced a hit single, “Pretty Lights of Denver.”