Aaron Metts

Aaron Metts, a 27-year-old Black man from Belleville, Illinois, was a father to a son, Messiah, and a daughter, Erin. He is survived by his mother, Latesha Mason; his father, Galen Metts; and his brother, Izhail Hoffman. A visitation and funeral service were later held for him at Calvary Church in Cahokia Heights.

On the afternoon of Saturday, October 7, 2023, a fatal shooting occurred in downtown Belleville. Police responded around noon to reports of multiple shots fired at the intersection of North 1st Street and West B Street. When officers arrived, they found Aaron Metts, who had been shot multiple times. According to St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr., Metts was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:05 p.m. His last known address was on the 100 block of North First Street. The shooting took place a couple of blocks from the annual Belleville Chili Cook-off, but authorities confirmed the incident was unrelated to the festival and posed no ongoing threat to the public.

The investigation, led by Belleville police detectives, quickly led to a person of interest who was believed to be inside a nearby residence. Working with the St. Clair County State’s Attorney's Office, police secured multiple search warrants for the home. Within a few hours of the shooting, a suspect was taken into custody.

The individual was identified as Omarion D. Williams, 19, of East St. Louis. He was charged with one count of first-degree murder in the death of Aaron Metts. During a detention hearing, Williams' public defender, Cathy MacElroy, argued that he should be released, stating that Metts had attacked him and that she would present a self-defense case at trial. The prosecutor, Assistant State's Attorney Jeff Reel, acknowledged there had been an "altercation" but told the judge that Metts' bullet wounds were not consistent with Williams' account of the events.

Associate Judge Sara L. Rice ruled that Williams was a "real and present danger" to the community and ordered him to remain in the St. Clair County Jail pending his trial. As of the court hearing in October 2023, the case was proceeding through the court system.