PEORIA ( 25News Now ) - Peoria’s police chief believes a broken justice system led to three teenagers with long criminal records being arrested for a South Peoria shooting on Sunday that critically wounded a man.

In a statement, Chief Eric Echevarria said the teens now being held in the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center have been arrested 27 times over the past four to five years. Their prior crimes include multiple gun-related charges, vehicular hijacking, burglary, and aggravated battery to a police officer.

The chief said one of the young suspects was arrested in mid-September for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a firearm and resisting and obstructing police, but was released from custody because of current Illinois juvenile detention guidelines. Less than 3

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