Father Shoots Man Who Beat Daughter In Southern IL: Reports

WOOD RIVER, IL — Two men suffered gunshot wounds in connection with an incident in which a father confronted a man in the street who was accused of hurting his daughter, according to reports.

Officers in Wood River, just north of St. Louis, received a report around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday of a domestic battery at a home on Mildred Street, according to authorities, who said a female left the residence and went to her parents’ home, where police responded, only to find the female had gone to meet officers at the Mildred Street address. The female’s father had also left his home in a separate vehicle, authorities said.

When officers arrived at the Mildred Street residence, the male reportedly involved in the battery was not found, but around 2:45 a.m. police received a report of shots fired on Sixth Street near Acton Avenue, according to authorities. Officers found two males who had been shot — the father of the female and the male reported in connection with the battery, authorities said.

“This was not a random act of violence,” Wood River police said in a news release.

Both men were taken to hospitals, according to police.

The two shot each other after the father tracked the other man down, KTVI reported, adding the daughter was severely beaten. The station cited police and neighbors who saw the incident.