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GRANITE CITY, Ill. (AP) - Authorities in southwestern Illinois' Granite City say they've arrested a suspect in the shooting death of a 13-year-old boy.

Granite City Police Maj. Jeff Connor says he believes Clayton Veninga's death Wednesday night was not accidental, though he didn't elaborate on the possible motive or what led police to the suspect.

Connor said he expected to seek charges Friday against the suspect, who Connor said was an acquaintance of the victim and is old enough to be prosecuted as an adult.

Connor has said the boy was sitting on a friend's porch when he was shot. He died later at a hospital.

 

   Granite City police say they have made an arrest in the murder of a 13 year old boy.  

   Clayton Veninga had been sitting on a Cleveland Boulevard porch around 9:30 pm Wednesday night when he was shot.  

   Police say this suspect is an adult male who was an acquaintance of Veninga's.  No word as to what led to the shooting, but police say this was not an accidental or random act.  

   Assistant Police Chief Jeff Connor says the public has been instrumental in helping solve the crime.

   Charges are expected later this morning.  

   Earlier Thursday evening, a large group of family and friends came together for a vigil in Veninga’s honor.  They stood in the rain, some clutching umbrellas, others just getting wet, as they burned candles and shared stories about Veninga's love of sports and the promising future he no longer has.  They also offered prayers for the teen's family and for an end to violence in their community.  

   EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) - A former barge worker from Granite City has received the maximum sentence of 20 years for his role in a foiled plot to abduct, extort and electrocute a wealthy metro-east lawyer.

   A federal judge sentenced 46 year old Brett Nash on Thursday, fined him $500 and ordered a mental health evaluation. Nash pleaded guilty in December to a felony count of solicitation of a violent crime.

   Authorities said Nash's scheme involved forcing the intended victim into a hot tub and tossing in a radio to electrocute him. Nash then wanted to throw in the intended victim's cat with the hope that police would think the animal caused the electrocution. The intended victim hasn't been identified.

   Nash argued at the sentencing that he never planned to commit murder.

We now know the identity of a 13-year-old boy who was shot and killed in Granite City Wednesday night.

Clayton Veninga was sitting on the porch of his home when a group of people started shooting. Witnesses say the teen started running for help when he collapsed--he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Police are not certain if Veninga was the intended target and are asking for anyone who has information to call the CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.

A standoff with a suicidal man in Granite City ended peacefully this morning.

The police say the man barricaded himself in his home and told officers he had weapons and explosives. The situation started around 4 AM and officers took him into custody just before 11 AM. The man was taken to the hospital and a bomb squad searched the home for explosives.