EAST PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A fight between two teens on Saturday at Eastside Centre has led to both being arrested on felony charges.
Deputy Chief Ryan Billingsley with the East Peoria Police Department said two boys, one who was in 8th grade and another who was not enrolled in school but who would have been a high school freshman, began to fight at the facility on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Both had knives but the 8th grader had put his away and he was stabbed several times by the older teen. All the injuries were not life-threatening but Billingsley noted that the younger boy was “very fortunate.”
The younger teen was taken to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The older teen, he said, was taken to the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center where he was booked on charges of aggravated battery. Tazewell County doesn’t have a juvenile detention center and uses Peoria County to hold youths when needed.
Charges in the case are aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and unlawful use of a weapon.
The young boy was not taken into custody but was arrested on the charge of aggravated battery.
Aggravated battery can be charged in multiple ways including if a person uses a weapon or if a fight happens in a public place.
It was unclear what caused the fight and further details regarding the melee at EastSide could not be released as the two are juveniles. A call to Tazewell County State’s Attorney Kevin Johnson was not immediately returned.