Today at approximately 11:50 AM, Jaki Pearson of Champaign surrendered without incident to detectives of the Champaign Police Department for the offense of Murder.
An arrest warrant was issued for 20-year-old Pearson on September 4, in connection with the September 1, 2017 shooting of 19-year-old Brandon J. Smith in the 1200 Block of N. McKinley Ave. Pearson is being held on preliminary charges of Murder, pending court proceedings later this week. Bond on the warrant is set at $1,000,000.
While an arrest has been made, this investigation continues to be ongoing. Anyone with information related to the shooting is encouraged to contact the Champaign Police Department Investigations Division at 217-403-6900.
Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers by phone at: (217) 373-8477 (TIPS); online at www.373tips.com; or the “P3 Tips” mobile app.
Champaign Police reminds citizens that information submitted to Crime Stoppers is completely anonymous. Calls are routed to a third-party national call center that receives your information, completes a tips information form, and then passes the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Caller ID tracking is not utilized by Crime Stoppers and conversations are not recorded.
Related News Release: Police Identify Suspect in September 1 Fatal Shooting