Man convicted, sentenced to 35 years for East Alton Ice Arena shooting
MADISON COUNTY (KMOV) -- An Alton man was convicted this week of attempted first-degree murder at the East Alton Ice Arena in January 2022.
The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday that 31-year-old Berton L. Newton was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the crime. A mother and daughter were shot in the parking lot of the ice rink. Both survived the shooting.
According to police documents, the two women told police a man approached them and asked for a light for a cigarette. They said no, and the man walked away.
Then he returned, pointed a gun at them and fired one shot that hit both women. The shooter was not known to the two women. Through phone records, surveillance video, and forensic testing, East Alton Police identified Newton as the shooter.
The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office mentioned in a press release that the quick actions of bystanders, including police, a former trauma nurse, and a retired Army medic, helped save the mother’s life.
Newton was also charged with attempted murder in Nevada and California in November 2022. He faces two counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon in Nevada and a premeditated murder charge in California.
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