Peoria man arrested after 2022 shooting incident

Eric L. Clark-Phifer, 32, is charged with two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, one count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and unlawful possession of a firearm without a valid firearms owner’s license.

He and his co-defendant, Demetrius D. Moore, 32, were charged by indictment and taken into custody on an arrest warrant.

Probable cause was already established when the warrant was issued, but Assistant District Attorney David Fitt repeated the probable cause statement before Judge Jason Chambers in court Wednesday. The prosecutor also filed a motion to detain Clark-Phifer on a charge of dangerousness.

Fitt said Normal police responded to a shooting incident in the 200 block of West Willow Street in Normal on July 9, 2022. No injuries were reported in that shooting.

Surveillance videos recovered from the area showed the shooting, and Normal police were able to identify Clark-Phifer from those surveillance videos, Fitt said during the probable cause statement.

Fitt said it took Normal police some time to arrest the suspects from the time of the incident until their arrests this week.

The U.S. Marshal Fugitive Task Force office assisted in the search for Clark-Phifer and Moore, Fitt said.

Moore, of Bloomington, is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and unlawful possession of a firearm without a valid firearm owner’s license. He remains in custody in McLean County and his arraignment was scheduled for Friday.

The NPD had also previously arrested another man in connection with the shooting. He was charged with aggravated unlawful possession of a firearm by a person under 21 years of age, a Class 4 felony.

In arguing for Clark-Phifer’s imprisonment, Fitt Chambers presented the defendant’s criminal record and pointed out that Clark-Phifer was not allowed to possess a firearm due to his status as a convicted felon.

In Clark-Phifer’s defense, Assistant Public Defender Brian McEldowney said Clark-Phifer works two jobs, has extensive ties to the community and supports and supports two children.

Chambers granted the state’s motion to incarcerate Clark-Phifer, noting that the defendant’s prior convictions influenced his decision to incarcerate him.

Clark-Phifer will be arraigned on May 31.