Inset: Jaquon L. Timothy (Peoria County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The area in Peoria where Timothy allegedly shot his ex-girlfriend (Google Maps).
A 23-year-old man from Illinois is facing charges after reportedly shooting his ex-girlfriend in a disturbing attempt to demonstrate his feelings for his new partner. Jaquon L. Timothy was apprehended over the weekend and is charged with aggravated battery involving a firearm, as authorities disclosed.
“Last week, Timothy was charged in relation to the July incident where his ex-girlfriend was shot, allegedly as a gesture to showcase his affection for his new girlfriend,” according to a news release by the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Details from the release mention that officers from the Peoria Police Department responded to reports of gunshots around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, in the 2300 block of West Starr Street, South Peoria. Upon arrival, first responders discovered the victim with evident “gunshot wounds to her feet.”
While the release did not identify the victim by name, she was confirmed to be Timothy’s ex-girlfriend. She was taken to a nearby hospital, with Semone Roth, a spokesperson for Peoria Police, informing local CBS station WMBD that her injuries were not life-threatening. Both of her feet had been targeted in the shooting.
Further investigation led officers to speak with Timothy’s current girlfriend. According to the release, she revealed that Timothy had informed her before the incident that “he would shoot his ex-girlfriend.”
The current girlfriend also revealed that after the victim was shot, Timothy “told her he had carried it out,” authorities allege.
Police said they obtained and executed a search warrant on Timothy’s cellphone. During the search, investigators allegedly uncovered a text message “claiming ownership of the shooting.”
Timothy was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 18. The following day, he appeared before Peoria County Judge Mark E. Gilles, who ordered Timothy to remain in custody without bond.
It was not immediately clear when Timothy was scheduled to appear in court again.
If convicted, Timothy faces a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in a state correctional facility.
Authorities are urging anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact police at 309-673-4521.
The alleged shooting is not Timothy’s first run-in with the law. In 2022, he pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of conspiracy to steal and possess firearms from a federal firearms licensee, stealing from a federal firearms licensee, and possession of a stolen firearm, the Justice Department said. He served a two-year sentence, which was followed by three years of supervised release. The charges stemmed from the theft of nine firearms during the burglary of a gun store in the fall of 2020.
