The Peoria, Illinois community is mourning the tragic loss of a 23 year old man who was killed in a late night shooting at a South Peoria gas station. According to the Peoria Police Department, officers were dispatched at approximately 10:57 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, 2025, to the 1000 block of Western Avenue after receiving a ShotSpotter alert indicating that a single round had been fired. While officers were en route, they were informed that two individuals had been shot.

Police located a 23 year old male at a nearby gas station suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. A second victim, a 19 year old male, was found outside a nearby AutoZone with a gunshot wound to the leg. Officers immediately began life saving measures, but the 23 year old victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Peoria County Coroner’s Office later identified the deceased victim as Marnelius Alexander, 23, of Peoria. Coroner Jamie Harwood stated that an autopsy confirmed Alexander suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and died instantly. He was pronounced dead at approximately 11:45 p.m. at the scene. The shooting took place at the Phillips 66 gas station on Western Avenue. The investigation remains active as authorities urge anyone with information to come forward.

The Shooting A ShotSpotter Alert on Western Avenue

The incident began at approximately 10:57 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, 2025, when the Peoria Police Department received a ShotSpotter alert indicating that a single round had been fired in the 1000 block of Western Avenue. ShotSpotter is a gunshot detection system that uses acoustic sensors to detect and locate gunfire. The system alerted police to the fact that a gun had been fired, even before any 911 calls were made.

While officers were en route to the scene, they were informed that two individuals had been shot. The source of that information is not specified in the original article. It may have been a 911 call, a witness at the scene, or a second ShotSpotter alert.

When officers arrived, they found a 23 year old male at a nearby gas station suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. The gas station is identified as a Phillips 66, a common brand of gas station in the Midwest. The victim was outside or inside the station, struggling to breathe, bleeding from a wound to his chest. A gunshot wound to the chest is often fatal, as the chest contains the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels.

A second victim, a 19 year old male, was found outside a nearby AutoZone with a gunshot wound to the leg. AutoZone is an auto parts store, likely located near the gas station. The 19 year old was shot in the leg, a less critical injury than a chest wound, but still painful and dangerous.

The Victims Marnelius Alexander, 23, and an Unidentified 19 Year Old

The Peoria County Coroner’s Office later identified the deceased victim as Marnelius Alexander, 23, of Peoria. Coroner Jamie Harwood stated that an autopsy confirmed Alexander suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and died instantly. He was pronounced dead at approximately 11:45 p.m. at the scene.

Marnelius Alexander was 23 years old. He was a resident of Peoria, Illinois, a city of approximately 110,000 residents on the Illinois River. He was a young man with his whole life ahead of him. He was someone’s son, someone’s brother, someone’s friend. His death is a tragedy for his family and for the Peoria community.

The 19 year old victim was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were described as non life threatening. That means that the gunshot wound to his leg, while serious, was not expected to kill him. He will likely recover physically, but the emotional trauma of being shot and witnessing a death will last much longer.

The original article does not identify the 19 year old victim. That is standard practice when the victim is a minor or when the family has not been notified. The 19 year old may be a witness in the investigation, and his identity may be protected for that reason.

The Investigation Active and Ongoing

The Peoria Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, Crime Scene Unit, and patrol officers responded and continue to investigate the case. The ShotSpotter alert indicated that a single round had been fired. That is a small number of shots. It suggests that the shooter may have fired only once, or that only one shot was detected by the system.

The investigation will focus on identifying the shooter. Key questions include whether the shooter knew the victims, whether the shooting was targeted or random, and what led to the gunfire. The 19 year old victim, if he is able to speak, may be able to provide a description of the shooter or the vehicle used to flee.

The original article does not state whether any arrests have been made. No suspect information has been released. The shooter is still at large. The community is on edge, not only grieving but also afraid.

The Crime Scene Gas Station and AutoZone

The shooting took place at the Phillips 66 gas station on Western Avenue. A gas station is a place where people stop for fuel, for snacks, for a quick break. It should be a place of routine, not violence. The gas station will be closed for hours, perhaps days, as investigators process the scene. The yellow tape will surround the pumps. Customers will be turned away. The memory of the shooting will linger.

The AutoZone where the 19 year old was found is nearby. The two locations are close enough that both victims were found within the same response area. The shooter may have fired from one location and the victims may have run or been moved to the other.

The Community Peoria in Mourning

The Peoria community is mourning the loss of Marnelius Alexander. Peoria is a city with a rich history, a strong sense of community, and ongoing challenges with gun violence. The death of a 23 year old man is a tragedy that touches everyone.

The 19 year old victim is recovering. His family is grateful that he survived, but they are also terrified. He was shot. He could have died. He may struggle with post traumatic stress disorder. He will need support.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Peoria Police Department at (309) 673-4521, submit an anonymous tip through tip411, or call Crime Stoppers at (309) 673-9000. Tips can be anonymous. Even a small detail a description of a car, a name, a location could be the key to solving the case.

Holding Onto Memories

As the investigation continues and the community mourns, the family and friends of Marnelius Alexander are left to do the hardest work of all. They must hold onto their memories of him while also confronting the reality of his death. They must grieve his loss while also waiting for justice. They must find a way to go on without him.

Marnelius was 23. He had his whole life ahead of him. He had dreams that will never be fulfilled, love that will never be given, moments that will never be experienced. That is the unspeakable tragedy of a young death. It is not just the loss of what was. It is the loss of what could have been.

But what was still matters. The 23 years that Marnelius lived, the people he loved, the joy he brought, the memories he created these things are not erased by his death. They remain. They are the inheritance of his family, his friends, and everyone who knew him. And as long as those memories are held and shared and cherished, Marnelius Alexander will never truly be gone.

Conclusion A Life Cut Short by Gunfire

The death of Marnelius Alexander, 23, in a late night shooting at a Phillips 66 gas station on Western Avenue in Peoria, Illinois, is a tragedy that has left a family shattered and a community in mourning. A young man is dead. A 19 year old is injured but recovering. A shooter is at large. An investigation is ongoing.

The Peoria Police Department will continue its work. The answers will come, though they will not bring Marnelius back. Only time, and love, and memory can do that work.

As Peoria mourns, the community stands together in grief, offering prayers and support to Marnelius’s family. Rest in peace, Marnelius Alexander. You were loved. You will be missed. And your memory will live on in the hearts of everyone who knew you. Gone too soon, forever remembered.