2 charged after 1 injured in Carterville club shooting

CARTERVILLE, Ill. (KBSI) – Two people face charges after one person was injured in a shooting at a Carterville club on April 8.

Akeen L. Petty and Sierra N. Alderton of Marion are charged with unlawful sale of alcohol, a Class 4 felony.

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office received multiple 911 calls of shots fired with one person struck around 3:38 a.m. on Saturday, April 8 at 10032 Samuel Road. The business is known by several names of “Club 262,” Lord of the Wings” and “Foreign’s Playland.”

Deputies found a large crowd at the business when about 30 round of multiple caliber weapons were fired. The bullets hit a 29-year-old man in the chest. The gunfire also struck buildings and four vehicles.

“There has been an ongoing problem at this location,” said Williamson County Sheriff’ Jeff Diederich in a news release. “While I certainly support local business I cannot turn a blind eye to the threat to public safety that is occuring. I would be remiss not to classify this establishment as a nuisance.”

Law enforcement has responded to 43 calls for service at 10032 Samuel Road in the past two years. Five of those calls include reports of shots fired.

The other calls were for large crowds, fight, unlicensed liquor sales, loud noise complaints and other disturbances.

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant and found evidence that an unlicensed liquor establishment is being operated with a full bar, point of sale system and cover charge at the door, according to the sheriff’s office.

“This appears to be an unlicensed and unregulatd establishment that continues to defy the legal obligations required to operate,” said Sheriff Diederich. “Further, I have warned this establishment in the past that the large crowds, lack of adequate security, repetition of illegal activity, and the unlicensed alcoholic beverages being consumed on the premises were likely to contribute to someone getting hurt. I am not aware of any other business in Williamson County where large crowd combined with numerous calls for service regarding distrubances and shots fired are occurring. The resident of Williamson County have made it clear to me that they are no ok with this activity. It is remarkable gine the volume of gunfire, combined with the large number of patrons, that more victims were not struck in the parking lot.”

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office thanked the police departments in Carterville, Energy, and Herrin as well as Illinois State Police, Illinoi Liquor Control Commission and Williamson County State’s Attorney Ted Hampson for their help.

Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office at 618-997-6541 or Williamson County Crime Stoppers at 800-414-TIPS(8477). Callers may remain anonymous.