An 18-year-old Effingham woman is in custody after an early morning shooting on the 300 block of North 3rd Street.
At about 1:50 a.m. today, Friday, July 24th, Effingham Police responded to reports of gunfire in the area of the 300 block of North 3rd Street. Investigators determined a single round was fired from a handgun into an occupied vehicle containing one adult and two teenagers. No injuries were reported.
Police identified and arrested Jalen N. Herschberger, just 18 years-old, without incident. She was then processed at the Effingham County Jail on charges of:
- Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm (Class 1 Felony)
- Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Class A Misdemeanor)
If convicted of the Class 1 felony, Herschberger faces 4 to 15 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections and fines up to $25,000.
Judge Ericka Sanders found probable cause to keep Herschberger detained pending a formal detention hearing under Illinois’ “Pretrial Fairness Act,” which is now scheduled for Monday, July 27th.
“Purposefully discharging a firearm at an occupied vehicle is an extraordinarily dangerous and reckless act that has no place in our community,” said Effingham Police Chief Kurt Davis, adding that the incident was targeted and poses zero threat to the public as a whole.
The Effingham Police Department was assisted by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Effingham Police Department at 217-347-0774 or Crime Stoppers at 217-347-6583.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
