Du Quoin police car firebombing suspects face weapons charge

Two 19-year-olds arrested in connection with a failed firebombing of two City of Du Quoin police cars were in Perry County Circuit Court Thursday.

Their bonds were set at $100,000 and they are required to post 10 percent of that amount ($10,000) in order to be released from the Perry County Jail.

Suspects Samuel Dunson and Freedom Davis face a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 4. A public defender was appointed to represent them.

Both face charges of possession of incendiary or explosive devices with respect to the firebombing. An additional charge of unlawful use of a weapon was added after authorities who effected the search warrant on their residence in the 200 block of East Cole Street found a sawed off shotgun.

Chief of Police Jamie Ellermeyer said federal authorities are considering other charges that would be filed in U.S. District Court in Benton. Both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) were part of Wednesday's investigation and arrests.

The two men are charged in a failed attempt to firebomb the squad cars of officers Lee Prince and Rustin Juhl while they were parked at their homes at 4:55 a.m. on Wednesday. One car was singed. The other was not damaged.

Chief Ellermeyer said his department obtained video from the scene of one of the incidents. That video is thought to be from the surveillance camera of a nursing home across the street from the Prince residence on East Jackson Street.

Police also have evidence from at least one of the firebombs that connects one or more of the suspects and their car.

Family members are taking issue with a photograph published in the newspaper of a subject being escorted down the sidewalk from the home by a state police officer in handcuffs. Family members say the boy is 14 years old and was not arrested. The cutline describes the scene as an officer escorting a subject--not a suspect--away from the scene. The handcuffed escort was on a public sidewalk in full view of all around. The boy, who was not named, was taken to the police station and, according to family members, questioned until 3 p.m. then released.

Chief Ellermeyer said four people were questioned with Dunson and Davis being the only two arrested.

The newspaper has taken the photo down from its website with no interest in reporting beyond the scope of the two arrests.

Chief Ellermeyer said there is no clear motive for the failed firebombings. He adds, however, that there were derugatory posts about police placed on at least one of the defendant's social media sites.

Chief Ellermeyer adds that the incident seems removed from things that are going on around the nation with respect to attitudes about law enforcement. He said this is an isolated, local case and adds that he apprciates the continued support of the community and his colleagues as they continue to work to keep our neighborhoods safe places to live.

In Perry County, police do their job well.