ALTON — Two Alton men have been charged in connection with a Wednesday, April 22, 2026, shooting in the 2200 block of Locust Street in Alton, after investigators presented the case to the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office and arrest warrants were signed, police said.
Anthony L. Shanklin, a 34-year-old male from Alton, and Samuel J. Chatman, a 31- year-old male from Alton, have each been charged with the following offenses:
• Count I: Attempted First Degree Murder (Class X)
• Count II: Aggravated Battery with a Firearm (Class X)
• Count III: Possession of a Firearm by a Repeat Felony Offender (Class X)
• Count IV: Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm (Class 1)
Alton Police said Madison County Judge Hackett signed arrest warrants for both men and ordered that they be held at the Madison County Jail pending extradition back to Illinois for detention hearings.
Both suspects fled to the greater St. Louis area following the shooting and were taken into custody during the early morning hours of April 28, 2026, police said.
“This case moved quickly because of the determination of our investigators and the strong partnerships we have with law enforcement agencies on both sides of the river,” Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said. “When individuals commit violent crimes in our community and think they can avoid accountability by leaving town, they should know we will use every available resource to find them and bring them back to face justice.”
The Alton Police Department said it worked with the Illinois State Police, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, St. Louis County Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service during the investigation and in taking the suspects into custody.
Police encouraged anyone with additional information to contact the department’s Criminal Investigation Division at 618-463-3505 ext. 634.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
