On April 30, 2023, 17-year-old African American female JaZaria Hempstead of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, was shot while traveling in a vehicle on Route 146 in East Cape Girardeau, Illinois. The incident occurred around 11:26 a.m., when two juvenile occupants inside a vehicle were struck by gunfire and transported to an area hospital. JaZaria succumbed to her injuries on May 2, 2023.
The second victim, a male minor, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released.
On May 2, 2023, authorities arrested 20-year-old Tyrese L. Tucker of Ullin, Illinois, in connection with the shooting. Tucker was charged with first-degree murder and is being held at the Massac County Jail in Metropolis, Illinois, with bond set at $2.5 million.
The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation and the Alexander County Sheriff’s Department are continuing to investigate the incident.
