After-prom party shooting in Chillicothe may have had gang involvement, sheriff says

The Peoria County Sheriff's Office believes that several Peoria gangs may have been involved in a shooting early Sunday morning in Chillicothe that injured a 18-year-old man.

Sheriff Chris Watkins said Tuesday that early indications are that two or three gangs from Peoria may have been present Sunday morning at the Valley Lakes Center when an 18-year-old was shot in the head and hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The facility had been hosting an after-prom party put on by students from several local schools with events the night before.

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Watkins said that just about every detective in his office is working some aspect of the case, although no arrests had been made as of Tuesday afternoon. He pointed out that the Valley Lakes Center did have some private security inside the building, but that they weren't able to prevent a large group from starting the conflict that led to the shooting.

The 18-year-old remains hospitalized with serious injuries.

The investigation is still ongoing and people with any information are asked to contact CrimeStoppers at (309) 673-9000 or to submit a tip through their app. They can also contact Detective Garen Demery with the sheriff's office at (309) 216-4775.

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This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Prom party shooting in Chillicothe may have had gang involvement