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Shooting suspects captured in Illinois

By Crystal Burns

Two men accused of shooting and critically wounding a Trenton man on January 31 were captured in Springfield, Ill. Thursday around 5 p.m.

According to Trenton police, the U.S. Marshal’s Service arrested Deandre Banks, 19, and Cameron Banks, 21, both of Trenton, at a residence in Springfield. They are currently being held at the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department in Illinois awaiting extradition. Trenton police plan to pick the men up this week and transport them to the Gibson County jail.

In a statement on the department Facebook page, Trenton police said the department, working closely with the Marshal’s Service, developed information that the Banks brothers were in Springfield. The Marshal’s Service worked through partner agencies in Illinois to confirm the information and acted quickly to make the arrests.

“The Trenton Police Department strives to develop and maintain close working relationships with local, state and federal partners,” the post states. “This arrest is an example of local, state and federal agencies working together to quickly apprehend dangerous fugitives. The Trenton Police Department would like to thank the citizens who assisted us during this investigation. We have received many tips and are diligently working through them. We would also like to thank the U.S. Marshal’s Service for their assistance in apprehending these fugitives.”

Lt. Jimmy Wilson, Trenton Police investigator, said the men were not staying with family in Springfield. He confirmed that a tip called into the police department led to the arrests and said the report he received showed that the men were taken into custody without incident.

Both Deandre Banks and Cameron Banks are charged with attempted first-degree murder and employing a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony. They allegedly shot Preston Fields, 27, of Trenton, in an apartment in Trenton on the evening of January 31. Fields was transported by personal vehicle to the Milan General Hospital emergency room and then airlifted to Regional One Hospital in Memphis.

Wilson said Fields sustained three gunshot wounds to his abdomen and chest area. Wilson said the men have a history of problems between each other. While police are not certain of a motive, he said there is a strong possibility the shooting was gang related.

Fields remains in the hospital. Wilson said he spoke with Fields’ mother Thursday, and she said her son was waking up and able to talk but still in a lot of pain.

Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the Trenton Police Dept. at 731-855-1413.

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