Godfrey Women Charged With Striking Employee With A Gun  

EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine and Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford announced Thursday that multiple charges have been filed against a woman accused of striking an employee of an Alton business with a firearm. 

Lashelle J. Barrett, 29, whose last known address is in Godfrey, has been charged with one count of  aggravated battery, one count of unlawful use of weapons, three counts of aggravated assault and one  count of child endangerment. 

On June 6, 2023, Alton Police responded to the Rent-A-Center located at 2831 Homer Adams Parkway in  Alton. 

After a review, the State’s Attorney’s Office issued the charges against Barrett. The charges allege that  Barrett, who was not an employee or customer of that store, entered the Rent-A-Center unlawfully  possessing a firearm, threatened multiple store employees by displaying the firearm in a threatening  manner, and battered one employee by striking her in the head with the firearm. The endangerment  charge alleges that, during the incident, she left an infant in a vehicle outside. 

Bail for Barrett was set at $90,000 by Circuit Judge Tim Berkley. As of Thursday, Barrett was in custody in  Missouri for a separate case. 

The State’s Attorney’s Office declined to issue charges against a Rent-A-Center employee who  reportedly discharged a firearm during the incident and struck Barrett, concluding that this employee’s  actions were not in violation of applicable Illinois criminal laws. A description of the specific evidence  reviewed to reach this conclusion cannot be released now due to the pending criminal cases against  Barrett, who is to be considered innocent until proven guilty.