MADISON – A Madison resident accused of firing a weapon at three women and initiating a shootout has been released from custody while facing felony charges.
Jasper A. Belt, 29, of Madison, Ill., was charged on April 6, 2026 with three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, each Class 1 felonies.
Belt is accused of knowingly discharging a firearm in the direction of three different women on April 3, 2026.
A petition to deny Belt’s pretrial release from custody was filed by the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office. According to the petition, one of the victims reported that after arguing with Belt via text message while inside the same home, Belt “obtained a firearm and discharged it inside the residence in the direction of she and her cousin.”
“The two women fled out of the residence with a third person … who stated that she heard gunshots and also ran, only to have [Belt] shoot in her direction as she fled,” the petition states. One of the victims then reportedly “obtained another firearm from her vehicle and fired back at [Belt] as he continued to shoot at them outside the residence.”
When officers arrived at the scene, the petition states they found shell casings and “apparent bullet holes” inside the residence and on the exterior of a vehicle belonging to one of the victims. They also located Belt nearby, as well as a firearm that had been “dropped over a neighboring fence.”
The state’s petition was later denied, with an Order of Release filed on April 10, 2026. According to the release order, the conditions of Belt’s pretrial released have been agreed upon by the parties involved.
Under the conditions of his release, Belt has been ordered to have no contact with the victims in this case and not enter the premises of the Madison residence where the alleged incident occurred. On only one occasion, Belt is allowed to enter the premises with a police escort to retrieve necessities.
The Madison Police Department presented the case against Belt, who was ordered released from custody pending trial.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
