EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill — One person died and another was hospitalized Wednesday night after a shooting at a McDonald's in East St. Louis.
According to Illinois State Police, officers responded just after 7 p.m. Wednesday to the report of a shooting at the McDonald's on North 24th Street.
Illinois State Police said shots were fired both inside and outside of the restaurant.
Two people were shot and both were taken to an area hospital for treatment. There, one of the victims died, according to ISP.
The St. Clair County Coroner's Office identified the deceased as 22-year-old Traveon Brown from Cahokia Heights.
Driving by Wednesday evening was former mayor and community advocate Robert Eastern III. He lives close by.
Eastern said, "My heart kind of just dropped in a sunken place. It bothers me because that's our central business district in a city trying to pull themselves up by the bootstraps."
East St. Louis councilman Ryan Cason learned an altercation started inside the McDonald's and then carried outside.
He noted this McDonalds is popular, especially around the time of the shooting.
"The community, we need to come together to get these guns off the street," Cason shared.
He believes the East St. Police Department is already taking guns off the street.
"They've been trying and doing as much as they can but you know we're short staffed. We're doing the best we can to recruit more officers and get the community involved," Cason added.
Eastern explains there are several initiatives in the area to reduce gun violence, but more needs to be done.
"We have to be moving all together in a pointed direction for the same cause," Eastern shared.
Their goal is to move the city in the right direction.
Cason said, "I hate that we get such a negative outlook on the way people view our city. The city is doing the best we can and trying to get as many as these crimes solved as possible."
No additional information was available Thursday evening. ISP did not share what led up to the shooting or whether there were any arrests made.
ISP asked anyone with information regarding the incident to email ISP.CrimeTips@Illinois.gov.
Resources for crime victims
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
The Crime Victim Center of St. Louis has multiple programs to support victims of crime. Crime Victim Center’s programs range from direct services to crime victims as well as “creating awareness and change within the systems they encounter.”
Life Outside of Violence "helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence."
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has the Neighborhood Healing Network, which serves people who have experienced crime, violence or been the victim of an incident that caused trauma.
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