ALTON, ILLINOIS — A violent incident unfolded at a Rent-A-Center in Alton when a woman, reportedly armed with a gun, assaulted an employee.
The woman is believed to have entered the retail store on Homer Adams Parkway around 10 a.m. on Tuesday with the intent of confronting a relative who is employed there, according to Police Chief Jarrett Ford. Despite having a restraining order that forbade her from making contact with the relative and being in the store premises, she ignored the mandate.
The confrontation rapidly turned physical and ended up in a violent brawl. During this altercation, the woman used her firearm to strike the employee on the head. In response, a different employee on the scene opened fire, striking the woman three times.
Following the shooting, the woman managed to flee the scene in a car. She was later discovered wounded inside the vehicle at the intersection of Claire and Seminary streets. She received initial treatment at a local hospital, and was subsequently airlifted to a hospital in St. Louis for further medical attention.
The victim of the assault who was struck in the head with the firearm suffered severe head trauma and is currently receiving medical treatment.
