Two men charged with attempted murder in Dixon shooting in March

DIXON – Two men, one a parolee from Dixon, are jailed in connection with the shooting of two people on March 18 in the 1300 block of West Fourth Street, Dixon police said in a news release.

Clarence W. Prather, 32, of Dixon, already being held in Lee County jail in an unrelated case, was arrested today and is charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated battery, both punishable by at least 6 to 30 years in prison, and aggravated discharge of a firearm, which carries 4 to 15 years.

Eric L. Thompson, 26, of Chicago, was arrested Friday in in Rockford by the US Marshals Service. He faces the same charges.

The victims, a 28-year old woman and a 32-year old man, were shot around around 3:45 a,m. while they were inside a home, the woman multiple times. Their injuries were not life-threatening.

Prather has a preliminary hearing Wednesday In Lee County Court.

He already was being held on $100,000 bond on two counts of aggravated battery filed May 14.

Prather recently was paroled in three cases: He was sentenced in June to 6 years for aggravated battery of a pregnant woman; he has a conviction in a 2018 case, same charge, same sentence; and also was sentenced to 2 years for a domestic battery in 2016, all in Lee County.