Prosecutors Push Adult Trial For Teen

Two teenagers — ages 15 and 16 — are charged with killing five members of the same family across three separate locations in East St. Louis, Illinois, in what police are calling a targeted mass shooting.

Story Snapshot

Five family members were shot and killed Sunday in East St. Louis; two others were wounded and remain in critical condition.
A 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl were arrested the same day and charged Tuesday with five counts of first-degree murder each.
The 16-year-old, identified as Ja’Ymeir Davis, will be tried as an adult and faces 12 charges, including dismemberment of a victim.
Illinois State Police described the attack as “targeted,” meaning the victims — ranging in age from 21 to 74 — were not chosen at random.

What Happened in East St. Louis

On Sunday morning, seven members of the same family were shot at three different locations in East St. Louis. Five of them died. Illinois State Police identified the victims as Cherie L. May, Quentein L. Thompson, Devin D. May, Shania Thompson, and Patricia A. May. The two survivors were left in critical condition. Police called the attack a “targeted mass shooting,” meaning someone specifically chose this family as the target.

Officers arrested two teenagers later that same Sunday at Holten State Park, a recreation area in the region. Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly confirmed the arrests and described the crime as evil but said it would not break the community. “It’s terrible. It’s evil. But it will not keep this city down,” Kelly said at a press conference. Charges were formally filed on Tuesday.

Who Was Charged and What They Face

The 16-year-old boy, Ja’Ymeir Davis, faces 12 charges total. That includes five counts of first-degree murder and a charge of dismemberment — specifically, cutting off a victim’s thumb. A judge ordered him to stay in custody. He will be tried as an adult. The 15-year-old girl faces the same murder charges but her case starts in juvenile court. Prosecutors will decide later whether to move her case to adult court as well.

The charges against Davis are among the most serious that can be filed against a juvenile in Illinois. Trying a minor as an adult is allowed under state law when the crime is severe enough. It is a common but debated practice. Supporters say it reflects the gravity of the crime. Critics argue that teenagers, even those who commit violent acts, are still developing mentally and should be treated differently than adults under the law.

A Broader Pattern of Youth Gun Violence

This case fits a troubling pattern in Illinois. The state has one of the highest firearm homicide rates for young people in the Great Lakes region. Gun violence in Illinois falls hardest on Black communities, according to a 2024 report on gun deaths in the state. East St. Louis, a city that has struggled for decades with poverty and crime, has seen repeated incidents of deadly gun violence involving young people.

Inside the investigation of East St. Louis ‘targeted mass shooting’ https://t.co/hIiMYt2kPj

— BND.com (@bellevillenewsd) July 16, 2026

For many Americans — left and right — this case raises hard questions that go unanswered. Why do teenagers have access to guns? What is failing in the communities where this keeps happening? A stolen gun was reportedly used in this attack, which points to failures in both enforcement and prevention. No single policy or party has solved this problem, and the families who pay the price are left with nothing but grief. Five people are dead. Two more are fighting for their lives. And two teenagers face the rest of their lives behind bars.