MT. VERNON, IL — A 29-year-old Mt. Vernon man was arrested for Aggravated Battery surrounding an incident that the Police Department is investigating involving a Mt. Vernon woman who was reportedly shot Saturday morning. Simon Taylor was arrested after the MVPD got an anonymous caller reporting multiple gunshots in the area of the 2500 block of Herbert Street.

Taylor was arrested and released Saturday. At this time, no formal charges have been filed in court against him.

Not long after the call an MVPD officer began following a white SUV traveling at a high rate of speed and made contact with the aforementioned female gunshot victim near SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital. The hospital was advised of the situation and immediately went on lockdown. Mt. Vernon Police Chief Trent Page says the arrest of Taylor occurred at the hospital. Taylor had drove the victim to SSM and, at some point, began attacking a security officer for an unknown reason. Chief Page says the battery charge and arrest of Taylor aren’t necessarily directly related to the shooting however, this case is still under investigation and Page asks if anyone has information regarding this incident to contact the MVPD at 242-2131.

The identity of the victim is not being released at this time and her current status is not known but she reportedly was taken to a St. Louis area hospital with what are being called, “non-life threatening injuries.” No additional injuries have been reported as a result of these events.