By WMBD-TV
BLOOMINGTON – Officers with the Bloomington Police Department arrested two men Thursday afternoon for their involvement in a reported shooting that resulted in a stand-off outside a local apartment complex on Morris Avenue.
According to a Friday press release from Bryce Janssen, a public information officer with Bloomington police, 25-year-old Lashawn McDonald from El Paso, and 21-year-old Damarion Andrews from Dolton, were both arrested following a “shots-fired” incident and stand-off with police, including the department’s SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiation Unit.
Bloomington police filed charges against McDonald, for one count each of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, felony possession of a firearm and aggravated discharge of a firearm. Andrews is facing one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of felony possession of a firearm. Officials in Cook County also issued a warrant against Andrews for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Police said that patrol officers with the department responded just before 2:30 p.m. Thursday regarding several 911 calls from residents who said they heard several gunshots in the 2000 block of South Morris Avenue in Bloomington.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found evidence of a “shots-fired” incident near the roadway. A preliminary investigation of the scene led officers to a nearby apartment complex, where they found two men inside who they believed to be involved in the shooting.
When officers demanded the men to leave the complex, the men wouldn’t comply. Officers received a search warrant and asked the SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiation Unit to respond to the scene.
The two men, later identified as McDonald and Andrews, eventually complied to the officers demands and walked outside of the apartment. Officers then took them into custody.
“The residents repeatedly remind this community that violence will not be tolerated. The ‘see something, say something’ mindset of our residents allowed the Bloomington Police Department to act swiftly to the report of gun shots being fired, which could have significantly harmed someone,” Chief Jamal Simington said in the press release. “The actions of our officers were diligent, heroic, and applaudable. These efforts allowed those alleged to have been involved in illegal gun crimes to be brought to justice. Our community is safer for it.”
The circumstances that led up to this incident remain under investigation.
Anyone with information should contact Detective Jake Law at 309-434-2527 or [email protected].
If you wish to submit a crime tip and remain anonymous, please contact the Crime & Intelligence Analysis Unit (CIAU) at 309-434-2963 or email [email protected].
WMBD-TV can be reached at [email protected]
