Look-alike gun incident in Keyes City Park triggers real concerns from Du Quoin police

On Thursday, April 23, at 8:51 p.m., the Du Quoin Police Department received a call about a subject in Keyes City Park brandishing a handgun.

The police were provided with a very good clothing and subject description. Sgt. Lee Prince observed a subject approximately three blocks away fitting the description. Officer Prince spoke with the subject identified as Dywon A. Dixon, 18, of Du Quoin and he was subsequently placed under arrest for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The gun, a BB gun that resembled a .45 caliber handgun, was recovered. Dixon was later transported to the Perry County Jail and bond was set at $2,000 cash.

Chief Jamie Ellermeyer related that this is the fourth incident in the last three months concerning subjects possessing BB handguns or toy handguns that appear to be real.

The number of gun incidents has grown. Ten days ago, police arrested a subject for shooting off a shotgun in a residential area.

Chief Ellermeyer stated if parents are going to allow their children to have these kinds of guns that resemble real handguns they need to police them in their own home.

"Once a person takes one of these replicas to school, the park or anywhere in public the chance of a devastating result is possible. There are not only police but concealed carry persons out in the public with real weapons at the ready if a subject would happen to point a toy or real handgun at them. I cannot stress enough how real these fake handguns appear," said Chief Ellermeyer.

In the last month, the Du Quoin Police Department has started a gun safety and awareness program which is being instructed for the youth and public by officer Rustin Juhl. Officer Juhl has spoken and fielded questions of all kinds with the entire fourth grade class here in Du Quoin. Officer Juhl also attended the health fair at Marshall Browning Hospital last Saturday to help educate children and adults.

Ellermeyer related the adults even have a hard time distinguishing a toy gun from real handguns just a foot away.

Officer Juhl will be at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds today for the Perry County Home Safety Day sponsored by the University of Illinois Extension Service and the Perry County Agriculture in the Classroom program.