A woman is accused of hitting a rental center employee with a firearm

ALTON, Illinois — A woman in Godfrey, Illinois, has been charged in connection with an altercation inside the Alton Trading Company that ended in her hitting an employee with a gun and resulting in her being shot.

According to Alton Police Chief Garrett Ford, the shooting occurred around 10:10 a.m. on June 6, at the Rent-A Center in the 2800 block of Homer Adams Parkway.

Police received two 911 calls: from a woman indicating she had been shot and a Rent-A-Center employee reporting the incident.

Officers arrived to find the victim, identified as Lachelle Barrett, in a car parked near the store. Elton Fire Department first responders took Barrett to a local hospital before transporting her to St. Louis.

The Ford chairman said investigators learned Barrett had come to the store to confront a relative who worked there. Barrett had an order of protection against her, barring her from contacting her relative and from being in the store.

Barrett and her relative got into a verbal argument that turned physical. Barrett pulled out a firearm, threatened other employees, and hit her relative in the head with the weapon.

Another Rent-A-Center employee took a firearm and shot Barrett.

Barrett ran from the store, got into her car, and drove a short distance before calling 911.

The Madison State Attorney’s Office charged Barrett, 29, with one count of aggravated battery, one count of unlawful use of a weapon, three counts of aggravated assault, and one count of child endangerment. The last charge was added to the indictment because Barrett left an infant in her car when she entered the shop.

Presently, Barrett is being held in Missouri in a separate case.

Prosecutors declined to charge the Rent-A-Center employee who fired a shot during the incident and injured Barrett. They determine that the actions of this individual do not violate the laws of the state.