Investigators are uncovering new details about the motive behind a deadly mass shooting that left five members of the same family dead and several others injured. Two teens have been charged with the killing spree, but now, relatives of the victims are saying the violence stemmed from a teenage relationship that family members repeatedly tried to stop.
Authorities said the shooting occurred after a 15-year-old girl and her 16-year-old boyfriend allegedly targeted members of the girl’s family. Officials have not publicly released a detailed motive, but relatives say the attack followed months of escalating conflict over the relationship.
“It’s all because y’all wanted to be together, so they wanted to eliminate everybody that had a problem with the situation,” Lamarion Smiley, a relative of the victims, told KSDK’s 5 On Your Side.
Smiley’s wife, Santosha Scott, and the teen girl’s mother, Tiffany Thompson, survived the attack. Scott was shot in the back, while Thompson suffered a gunshot wound to the neck, according to the outlet.
Illinois State Police charged 16-year-old Ja’ymier Davis as an adult with five counts of first-degree murder, two counts each of attempted murder and aggravated battery, aggravated vehicular hijacking, dismembering a human body and unlawful possession of a stolen firearm, according to ABC 7 Chicago. Prosecutors are also recommending that the 15-year-old girl be charged as an adult for the crimes. Her identity has not been released due to her juvenile status.
According to Smiley, family members had been concerned for some time about the relationship and believed the teens had discussed harming relatives.
“There was a list on Instagram that her and the boyfriend made. So we were aware, we just didn’t know when,” Smiley told KSDK.
Davis allegedly wrote his girlfriend about shooting, according to Fox 2 News. The girlfriend answered, “I can do that. I love blood.” In a separate message, she allegedly told him, “Babe, I’m finna lose my whole family for you.”
Smiley said the girl repeatedly ran away from home to be with the boy despite efforts to intervene. “Stayed in vacant houses with this boy, and every time we found her and brought her back home, we let her know, like, ‘You’re 15, you don’t know what love truly is yet,'” Smiley said.
The revelations offer new insight into what may have led to the shooting, though investigators have not confirmed the existence of the alleged Instagram list or publicly discussed whether social media played a role in planning the attack.
The victims — Patricia May, 74; Cherie May, 49; Shania Thompson, 25; Devin May, 24; and Quentin Thompson, 21 — were killed at three locations across East St. Louis.
Charging documents allege one victim, Patricia May, had her thumb severed after she was killed, which led to the dismemberment count against Davis, according to reports. Authorities said the thumb was discovered in the car the teens were driving during their arrest.
Police have not publicly disclosed a motive in court filings, and Illinois State Police say the investigation remains active. Officials have urged anyone with additional information to contact law enforcement.
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