The Peoria County Coroner’s Office has identified the two men who were killed in a tragic sequence of events on Aug. 22.
Peoria police said one man was killed in a shooting early Saturday, and a pedestrian was fatally struck by a vehicle fleeing the scene. Both men were from Peoria, according to the Coroner’s Office.
Malik Pickett, 26, of West McBean Street, was identified as the person who was shot. Gary L. Traylor, 52, of West Howett Street, was identified as the man who was struck by the vehicle.
Around 2:45 a.m. Aug. 22, officers were near the 1400 block of Southwest Jefferson Street when they heard shots fired nearby, according to a Peoria Police Department release. As they approached the location, they observed a vehicle fleeing the area and initiated a traffic stop.
At the same time, officers received a ShotSpotter alert indicating 20 rounds had been fired at the same location.
Additional officers responded and located Pickett suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center, unresponsive, not breathing, and with no pulse, the Coroner’s Office said. He was pronounced dead at 3:14 a.m.
As the suspect vehicle fled the area, it struck Traylor near Western Avenue and Howett Street, according to police. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:40 a.m., the Coroner’s Office said.
The vehicle then crashed into a utility pole. The driver and passenger of the vehicle, both men, were transported to a hospital for treatment. On Saturday, police said one was in critical condition and the other was in serious condition. A firearm was recovered from the vehicle, according to police.
During the investigation, officers learned that a man arrived at a hospital by private vehicle with a gunshot wound to the leg. The victim said he sustained the injury in the 1400 block of Southwest Jefferson Street. His injuries were not life-threatening, police said.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Coroner identifies two Peoria men killed in late-night chain of events
Reporting by Staff report, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
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By Staff report, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
