Brother of homicide victim faces charges after allegedly shooting teen girl in Peoria
PEORIA − The brother of a man shot and killed this month appears to have shot a 16-year-old girl by accident.
That's the impression given during a bond hearing Friday in Peoria County Circuit Court.
Jay'vion D. Lee, 22, is facing charges of aggravated battery with a firearm and possession of a weapon by a felon, both felonies. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison with no option for probation.
His brother, Jamarion Lee, was shot and killed earlier this month, and no arrests have been made.
On Thursday, police were called to the 800 block of South Western Avenue after an alert from the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system indicated 23 rounds had been fired, according to Assistant State's Attorney Jason Ramos.
When they arrived, they found a 16-year-old girl who had been shot in the shoulder, the prosecutor said. The girl was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. Two others in the car identified Lee who had approached the car without wearing a mask. They told police they knew who he was because his brother, Jamarion Lee, 24, had been killed recently.
Jay'vion Lee was found hiding in a house in the 800 block of South Greenlawn Avenue.
Ramos told Judge Albert Purham, Jr., that after the shooting on Thursday afternoon, the "people" of Jay’vion Lee reached out to the "people" of the 16-year-old girl to say it was an accident.
Ramos didn't elaborate and Purham didn't ask any more questions. It wasn't clear why Lee shot at the car.
Jay'vion Lee got emotional during his hearing on Friday when his brother's name was mentioned. He asked the judge if there was anyway he could be given a furlough to attend his brother's funeral Sept. 17.
The judge replied, "probably not," but did encourage him to have his public defender file the question, so the judge who gets assigned his case could consider it.
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When reached Monday, family members said they didn't know what happened in the shooting. Sandra Bailey, the grandmother of both Jay'vion and Jamarion, said it's been hard on the family.
"We have been through the battles," she said. "It's a daily thing, and it is going to become more painful and serious after this Saturday when we get to see (Jamarion) for the last time."
Latisha Bailey, the brothers' cousin, said she has spoken to Jay'vion Lee, and he is taking his brother's death hard.
The judge set Lee's bond at $500,000, noting he was on probation for 2021 conviction for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. He also had been previously convicted of possession of a firearm by a person under 21 and a similar count while legally a juvenile.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Brother of homicide victim charged in shooting of teen girl in Peoria
