ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — An 18-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy were arrested after police say they led officers on a high-speed chase through multiple cities in the Illinois Quad Cities following a shooting earlier this week.
According to a Rock Island Police Department news release, officers responded around 11:16 p.m. on Nov. 5 to reports of gunfire in the 1000 block of 12th Street. When they arrived, they found an occupied home and two parked vehicles had been hit by bullets. No injuries were reported.
Investigators identified a stolen Kia Sportage from Moline as the suspect vehicle and shared the information with surrounding law enforcement agencies.
Around 12:20 a.m. on Nov. 6, the Flock LPR system detected the Kia entering Moline. Officers soon spotted the vehicle and initiated a pursuit that crossed through multiple jurisdictions — including Rock Island, Milan, East Moline, and others — reaching speeds over 100 mph.
Police used several tire deflation devices during the chase. At one point, the driver of the Kia swerved toward a Rock Island officer attempting to deploy a device, but the officer was unharmed. The Kia eventually hit a deflation device on Rock Island-Milan Parkway, lost control, and crashed into a telephone pole on the 500 block of 16th Avenue around 1 a.m.
The driver and three passengers fled on foot. A second vehicle, a Mazda MZ6, also became involved, attempting to interfere with officers’ pursuit of the Kia. Before the Mazda was abandoned, its driver intentionally struck a Moline Police squad car and escaped on foot.
After a short foot chase, police arrested the Kia’s driver, 18-year-old Daniel Niyonyishu, and a 15-year-old male passenger. Two other passengers remain at large. Officers recovered multiple weapons, including a loaded handgun with an extended magazine discarded by the teen, another loaded handgun on his person, and an AR-style rifle found near the stolen Kia.
Niyonyishu faces several charges, including:
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Aggravated unlawful use of a weapon
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Possession of a stolen motor vehicle
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Aggravated assault to a peace officer
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Aggravated fleeing and eluding
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Possession of a controlled substance
He remains in custody at the Rock Island County Jail awaiting a detention hearing.
The 15-year-old was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a stolen motor vehicle. He was booked into the Rock Island County Jail and later transferred to a juvenile detention facility, where a hearing will determine whether he remains in custody.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Rock Island Police Department at (309) 732-2677, Crime Stoppers at (309) 762-9500, or submit a tip via the P3 Tips app.
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