3 injured, 1 arrested after shooting & high-speed police chase

MT. VERNON, Ill. (KBSI) – Three people were taken to the hospital after one person was shot and one arrested after a shooting and high speed police chase early Christmas morning in Mt. Vernon.

A Mt. Vernon police officer was on patrol in the 300 block of South 9th Street around 12:53 a.m. on Christmas morning and saw a man later identified as 20-year-old Maliq I. Petties, fire a handgun and shoot another person, according to a post by Mt. Vernon Mayor John Lewis on the Mount Vernon Police Department Facebook page.

The officer approached Petties and gave him commands, but Petties refused to comply and left in a vehicle.

Officers began a vehicle chase of Petties through Mt. Vernon to the west side of the town. The chase hit speeds nearing 100 miles per hour on Broadway. Petties began traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of Interstate 57 from Illinois 15, according to the Mount Vernon Police Department.

Just south of the north split Petties lost control of his vehicle. Then his vehicle struck a Mt. Vernon squad car causing moderate damage to both vehicles.

Petties got out of his vehicle and began to run away on foot. During the foot chase, Petties reached into his waistband which prompted a pursuing officer to fire a single shot. No one was struck by the shot. Officers overtook Petties. Despite him resisting arrest, officers say they were able to arrest him.

A firearm was found at the scene.

Two officers were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Both officers were treated and released.

The victim from the shooting was taken to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. He was later taken to a St. Louis area hospital.

Illinois State Police were called to investigate the firing of the officer’s firearm and traffic crash. This is a common practice for officer-involved shootings, according to Mayor Lewis. Illinois law requires an outside agency investigate officer involved shootings.

Petties was taken to the Jefferson County Justice Center.

Petties faces charges of aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated fleeing/attempting to elude, armed violence, resisting arrest, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and a Franklin County warrant.

Petties remained combative with Jefferson County Correctional Officers so no booking photograph was obtained.

Petties was taken to the Jefferson County Justice Center with no bond.