Suspect in custody after shots-fired incident in Johnston City

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Ill., (KBSI) — Authorities apprehended a suspect Sunday after a shots-fired incident in Johnston City.

Police responded to a 911 call in the 700 block of West 5th Street, discovering multiple rounds had struck a residence.

Sheriff Jeff Diederich said several people were inside the home when the suspect Shawn L. Rogers fired off nearly two dozen rounds from inside another residence

“They were sitting in their living room and all of a sudden started hearing sounds that sounded like stuff was falling in the home,” he said, “and like, maybe the siding on the house has been hit.”

Diederich said the residents went outside to investigate and saw rounds coming through the exterior wall of the neighboring home.

“They saw pieces of siding spluttering away from the home,” he said. “The individual was discharging a firearm in their bedroom.”

The victim’s home was struck by a number of rounds, including one that was lodged in the victim’s bathroom shower.

Rogers barricaded himself inside his home before surrendering to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team.

Resident Kevin Smith moved into the neighborhood nearly ten years ago, that’s when he first met Rogers.

“He lived there years ago — when I first moved in — with his grandmother, but they had a falling out,” Smith said. “This is totally a shock to me, that he was in there doing this. So I didn’t even know he was even back around.”

Investigators found three firearms in the residence including a 10-22 rifle, .22 handgun, and a .410/.45 “judge” revolver, as well as numerous magazines, holster, and rounds of ammunition — all of which were taken into evidence.

“I was in the military, so I’m familiar with guns,” Smith said. “The 22 doesn’t scare me as bad as the .45 caliber long colt that he was shooting that was going through houses. That, I mean, that’s a very scary gun. I don’t believe anybody should even have one of that. I don’t know what you can hunt with it — elephants or whales or something.”

Rogers faces charges including possession of a firearm without a FOID card, reckless discharge of a firearm, criminal damage to property, and reckless conduct.

The sheriff’s office credited cooperation between agencies for the peaceful resolution.