Champaign Man Found Guilty of Armed Habitual Criminality

A Champaign, Illinois man was found guilty of criminal charges in Adams County Circuit Court Wednesday.

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A jury deliberated for just 20 minutes before finding 25 year old Tywone Mitchell guilty of Armed Habitual Criminal.

The charges were filed in connection with an incident last October 18th, in which at least 39 shots were fired in the 3rd and Spruce area in Quincy.

The original police report indicated 18 spent shell casings were found and that people in a suspect vehicle has been shooting at another vehicle and fled the scene.

During the two-day trial, jurors heard evidence from multiple officers from the Quincy Police Department, as well as experts in Trace Chemistry (Gun Shot Residue) and DNA comparison from the Illinois State Police.

State’s Attorney Gary Farha praised the work of the Quincy Police Department as well as Lead Trial Attorney Josh Jones and Assistant State’s Attorney Laura Keck for their prosecution of the case. “This defendant had absolutely no ties to our community. He has been convicted multiple times of weapons offenses, brought a gun with an extended magazine capable of holding over 50 rounds of ammunition into our town, and fired the weapon multiple times. When I heard the recording of that shooting, it sounded like something you would hear in a movie or in a warzone. It has absolutely no place in Quincy. I will always support the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens, but every convicted felon should be on notice that if they choose to possess a firearm in Adams County, my office will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”

Three others were arrested in connection with the incident. 43 year old Henry Blackwell, 36 year old Tynell Washington both of Quincy and a 17 year old juvenile were charged with possession of a firearm by a street gang member, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of meth.

Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced August 16th.