The Kewanee man charged with shooting people, including children, with an Orbeez gun in April 2023, decided to accept an open plea after the jurors were picked but were yet to be sworn in. Alex Vandevoorde was 19 years old when he shot multiple people at Kewanee Walmart and Vine Street in Kewanee on April 11, 2023. Jury selection began around 9 AM on January 22, 2024, for a Jury Trial for the three counts of Aggravated Battery. However, before the jurors were sworn in, Mr. Vandevoorde decided to cancel the Jury Trial and accept an open plea. Mr. Vandevoorde pleaded guilty to counts 1 and 3, count 2 will be dismissed. Judge Colby Hathaway ordered a pre-sentencing investigation report and scheduled a sentencing hearing for April 1, 2024, at 3 PM. The jurors were thanked for their service to the county, and they were dismissed.
On April 11, 2023, Kewanee Police were dispatched to Kewanee Walmart for a report of people being shot. Witnesses gave the license plate to police, and police located the vehicle and identified Alex Vandevoorde as the driver of the vehicle. An Orbeez gun was located inside the vehicle. According to the police, Mr. Vandevoorde admitted to shooting people with an Orbeez gun while he was driving around.
According to court documents, count one for aggravated battery references the three victims shot with the Orbeez on North Vine Street. Count one was amended to remove one of the victims from the charge. Count three references to the victim shot with the Orbeez at Kewanee Walmart.
