Ottawa standoff ends in arrest connected to downtown shooting

A 30-year-old Ottawa man was arrested following a brief standoff Wednesday afternoon as police said he was connected with a Tuesday evening shooting near Ottawa’s downtown courthouse.

Anthony Brito was charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, which is a Class 1 felony. He faces a possible 4 to 15 years in prison if he is convicted. Brito was taken to La Salle County Jail and will appear in court Thursday morning for a bond hearing.

Police established a perimeter at about noon Wednesday around Brito’s residence on the 1500 block of Scott Street, evacuating some residents and closing the street to traffic.

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Ottawa police and La Salle County Sheriff deputies make an arrest Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, in the 1500 block of Scott Street just south of U.S. 6 in Ottawa. A suspect had nearly an hour standoff with police at about noon and was taken into custody about 1 p.m. (Scott Anderson)

Immediately after the arrest, Ottawa Police Chief Brent Roalson confirmed the man was sought in connection with Tuesday’s shooting.

In a Wednesday morning news release, Ottawa police said they were dispatched about 6 p.m. Tuesday to the intersection of La Salle and Main streets for several reports of gunshots in the area. Upon arrival, officers were able to determine while two vehicles were struck, there were no injuries. Preliminary investigation indicated this was an isolated incident between two individuals, police said in the news release.