ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Just days after the Rock Island Police Department held a news conference to address the recent uptick in gun violence within the city, two more shootings occurred early Saturday morning, July 30 and left two men with serious injuries.
During the news conference on Tuesday, July 26, the department said it was working hard to get the criminals off the street and bring justice to families, but lack of cooperation from victims and witnesses, a COVID-19-backlogged judicial system and staff vacancies have made work difficult.
Police responded to the first shooting just before 1 a.m. Saturday on the 1400 block of 8th Street. Upon arrival, officers found evidence of gunfire but not victims or witnesses.
Later, at about 1:50 a.m. a 20-year-old man with serious but non-life-threatening gunshot wounds arrived by private vehicle at a local hospital, and an investigation linked the victim to the shooting on 8th Street.
Rock Island police responded to a second shooting at about 1:25 a.m. Saturday on the 1000 block of 11th Avenue. There, officers found a 43-year-old man with a serious but non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Investigation into the 11th Avenue shooting revealed an unidentified suspect shot the victim as he was seated inside his vehicle.
Both shootings remained under investigation by police as of Saturday.
The Rock Island Police Department asked that anyone with information related to the incidents to contact the department at 309-732-2677 or Crime Stoppers at 309-762-9500. You can also use the P3 Tips app.