Dorrean Ellis Peoria shooting-A second suspect has been arrested in connection with a violent chain of events in Peoria, Illinois, that began with a shooting outside a nightclub and ended with a pedestrian being struck and killed by a fleeing vehicle.
Peoria Police announced Wednesday, September 2, 2026, that 18-year-old Dorrean Ellis has been arrested in connection with the August 22 incident.
Ellis faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, aggravated battery with a firearm and criminal damage to property.
The case involves the deaths of 26-year-old Malik Pickett, who was shot outside the Vibez nightclub, and 52-year-old Gary L. Traylor, who was struck by a speeding vehicle shortly afterward.
Another suspect, 20-year-old Karon Hopkins, had already been arrested and charged in connection with the case.
Ellis had remained hospitalized following the crash that ended the alleged escape from the shooting scene.
Police interviewed him at the hospital on August 31.
Following that interview, Ellis was arrested and transported to the Peoria County Jail.
Why Was Dorrean Ellis Arrested?
The case began during the early morning hours of Saturday, August 22.
At approximately 2:45 a.m., Peoria police officers were near the 1400 block of Southwest Jefferson Avenue when they heard gunshots.
The shots were coming from the area around the Vibez nightclub.
Officers moved toward the location and encountered a chaotic scene.
A white sedan was seen leaving the area.
Police later found Malik Pickett suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
The 26-year-old was transported to a hospital but did not survive.
Prosecutors have since provided additional details about what surveillance cameras allegedly captured outside the nightclub.
Those details became public during a detention hearing involving Karon Hopkins.
Prosecutors Say Surveillance Video Captured Shooting
According to prosecutors, surveillance footage showed a white sedan abruptly stop near a group of people outside the nightclub.
A man identified by authorities as Hopkins allegedly got out of the vehicle.
Prosecutors say he ran toward Pickett while firing a gun.
Pickett fell to the ground.
Authorities allege Hopkins continued firing while standing over him.
Pickett was reportedly shot more than 10 times.
The gunman then returned to the white sedan.
The vehicle quickly left the scene.
Ellis was also inside that sedan, according to authorities.
However, the precise allegations concerning Ellis’ individual actions are important to distinguish from those made against Hopkins.
Police have charged Ellis with first-degree murder and other offenses, but his guilt has not been established in court.
Police Say Another Shot Came From Vehicle
Information presented during the earlier court proceedings has provided investigators with additional evidence about the shooting.
Prosecutors said surveillance video indicated that another shot came from inside the vehicle.
Authorities have not publicly established every detail of who allegedly fired each shot or how prosecutors intend to prove Ellis’ specific role in the homicide.
Those questions are likely to become important as his criminal case moves forward.
The existence of a murder charge does not necessarily mean prosecutors allege that every defendant personally fired the fatal shots.
Under Illinois law, criminal accountability principles can sometimes allow prosecutors to pursue serious charges against people alleged to have knowingly participated in an offense.
Exactly how prosecutors intend to apply the law to Ellis will become clearer through court filings and hearings.
White Sedan Fled From Police
The violence did not end outside the nightclub.
After the shooting, the white sedan fled.
Authorities say the vehicle traveled through a residential area at speeds exceeding 90 mph.
Police were following as the car continued through South Peoria.
The vehicle eventually approached the intersection of Howett Street and Western Avenue.
Investigators say it ran a red light.
At that moment, Gary L. Traylor was crossing the street.
The fleeing sedan struck him.
Traylor died from the impact.
The vehicle continued before crashing into a utility pole on Western Avenue.
Gary Traylor Killed During Alleged Escape
Traylor’s death transformed an already fatal shooting investigation into an even more complicated case.
He was not the person targeted outside the nightclub.
He was a pedestrian who encountered the fleeing vehicle minutes later.
Authorities identified him as 52-year-old Gary L. Traylor.
The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office has previously described the vehicle as traveling at an extremely high rate of speed when it struck him.
The severity of the collision was devastating.
Traylor died at the scene.
His death became the basis for a reckless homicide charge against Hopkins, who prosecutors allege was driving the vehicle.
The crash portion of the investigation remains under review by the Illinois State Police.
Vehicle Crashed Into Utility Pole
The white sedan’s escape ended when it crashed into a utility pole.
Both Hopkins and Ellis were hospitalized following the collision.
That hospitalization explains why the arrests occurred days after the original August 22 incident.
Hopkins was released from the hospital first.
Police interviewed him on August 27 and subsequently arrested him.
Ellis remained under medical treatment for several additional days.
Investigators interviewed him at the hospital on August 31.
After the interview, he was placed under arrest.
His arrest was publicly announced by Peoria Police on September 2.
Dorrean Ellis Faces First-Degree Murder Charge
Peoria Police listed several charges against Ellis.
They include:
First-degree murder.
Aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.
Aggravated battery with a firearm.
Criminal damage to property.
These are allegations.
Ellis is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty in court.
The first-degree murder charge is particularly significant because publicly released evidence has primarily described Hopkins as the person prosecutors say approached Pickett and repeatedly fired at him.
That creates an obvious question about the legal theory behind Ellis’ murder charge.
More information may emerge when prosecutors formally present the case against him in court.
Who Is Dorrean Ellis?
Dorrean Ellis is an 18-year-old Peoria resident identified by police as the second person arrested in connection with the August 22 shooting investigation.
Public information about his personal background remains limited.
That is appropriate at this stage because the relevant story concerns the criminal allegations against him rather than unsupported claims about his character or personal history.
Authorities say Ellis was inside the white sedan involved in the events following the shooting.
He was injured when the vehicle crashed.
His hospitalization delayed his transfer to jail.
Following his arrest, Ellis was taken to the Peoria County Jail.
Karon Hopkins Was Arrested First
The other defendant in the investigation is 20-year-old Karon Hopkins.
Hopkins was released from the hospital on August 27.
He was then interviewed by detectives and arrested.
Prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder in connection with Pickett’s death.
He also faces a reckless homicide charge connected to Traylor’s death.
Additional weapons and battery charges have been reported in connection with the case.
A judge subsequently ordered Hopkins to remain in custody while his case proceeds.
What Prosecutors Say Karon Hopkins Did
During Hopkins’ detention hearing, prosecutors provided their most detailed public account of the shooting.
They said surveillance footage captured the white sedan stopping outside Vibez.
Hopkins allegedly exited the vehicle and approached Pickett while firing.
Prosecutors said he continued shooting after Pickett had fallen.
Hopkins then allegedly returned to the vehicle.
The sedan fled at high speed.
Prosecutors allege Hopkins was behind the wheel when the vehicle struck Traylor.
Those allegations have not been proven at trial.
Hopkins, like Ellis, is entitled to the presumption of innocence throughout the criminal proceedings.
Two Firearms Recovered From Crashed Sedan
The crash gave investigators access to significant physical evidence.
Police recovered two firearms from inside the vehicle.
According to prosecutors, testing connected those firearms to shell casings found at the shooting scene.
That evidence could become important in both defendants’ cases.
Firearm evidence can help investigators determine whether a weapon was discharged.
Shell casings can sometimes be associated with a specific firearm.
Fingerprints and DNA may also be examined depending on the condition of the evidence.
However, forensic evidence must still be presented and tested through the legal process.
The existence of a firearm inside a vehicle does not by itself establish who fired it.
Another Person Was Injured in Shooting
Pickett was not the only person struck by gunfire during the nightclub incident.
Authorities have said another man suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.
That individual arrived at a hospital in a private vehicle.
His injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
The additional shooting victim helps explain the aggravated battery with a firearm charge appearing in the investigation.
Authorities have not publicly released extensive information about the injured man’s identity.
The focus of the investigation has remained on the two deaths and the suspects accused in connection with the incident.
Malik Pickett Was 26
Malik Pickett was 26 years old when he was killed.
Officers found him suffering from numerous gunshot wounds after responding to the area around Vibez.
He was transported for emergency medical treatment.
Doctors were unable to save him.
His death became the central homicide investigation that eventually led to charges against Hopkins and Ellis.
As court proceedings continue, prosecutors will attempt to establish what happened immediately before the shooting and why Pickett was targeted.
A motive has not been fully established in the publicly available information.
Gary Traylor Was Walking Across Street
Traylor’s death occurred moments later and under very different circumstances.
He was crossing the street when the fleeing sedan reached the intersection.
Investigators say the vehicle was traveling more than 90 mph through the residential area.
The car allegedly ran a red light before striking him.
Traylor had no publicly established involvement in the nightclub shooting.
His death therefore illustrates how violence can expand beyond the people initially involved in a confrontation.
A shooting outside one location led to a high-speed escape through the city.
A pedestrian elsewhere then lost his life.
Illinois State Police Investigating Crash
Although Peoria Police are handling the criminal investigation surrounding the shooting, Illinois State Police are investigating the crash and police pursuit.
Separating those responsibilities can help ensure that the circumstances of the pursuit and collision receive an independent examination.
Investigators can review vehicle speeds, police actions, traffic signals and the sequence leading to the collision.
Data from the vehicle itself may also become useful.
Modern vehicles can preserve information about speed, braking and other conditions immediately before a crash.
The Illinois State Police investigation remains ongoing.
Why Ellis’ Arrest Is an Important Development
Before this week, Ellis had been publicly identified as an occupant of the sedan but remained hospitalized.
That left uncertainty about whether he would ultimately face charges.
The September 2 police announcement answers that question.
He is now formally under arrest.
The charges also show that investigators believe his alleged involvement went beyond simply being present in the vehicle.
Exactly what evidence supports those allegations will need to be established through court proceedings.
That makes Ellis’ first major hearing an important next stage in the case.
More Charges Could Still Be Possible
Authorities have repeatedly described the investigation as ongoing.
That means the current charges may not necessarily represent the final charging decisions.
Prosecutors can amend charges when additional evidence becomes available.
They can also dismiss charges when evidence does not support them.
Grand jury proceedings, forensic results and witness interviews can all influence what happens next.
The crash investigation is also continuing separately.
Any additional charges should therefore be treated as possible rather than assumed.
Court Proceedings Will Reveal More Evidence
The earlier detention hearing involving Hopkins already revealed information that was not available immediately after the shooting.
Surveillance footage was discussed.
Vehicle speeds were described.
The firearms recovered from the sedan were addressed.
Ellis’ court proceedings could similarly provide new information.
Prosecutors may explain why he faces a first-degree murder charge.
His defense attorneys will have an opportunity to challenge the state’s allegations.
A judge may also determine whether Ellis should remain detained while the case proceeds.
Those hearings will likely produce the next significant developments.
Two Deaths, Two Defendants and One Continuing Investigation
The Peoria case now has two defendants facing serious charges.
It also has two families mourning deaths that occurred only minutes apart but under very different circumstances.
Malik Pickett was shot outside a nightclub.
Gary Traylor was struck while crossing a street as a vehicle fled the area.
Hopkins was arrested after leaving the hospital.
Now Ellis has also been arrested following his own hospitalization.
The criminal cases will attempt to determine legal responsibility for everything that happened during those chaotic early morning minutes.
What Happens Next for Dorrean Ellis?
Ellis is now in the Peoria County Jail.
His case will move into the court system, where prosecutors will have to substantiate the allegations against him.
Future proceedings could clarify several unanswered questions.
What does surveillance footage show Ellis doing?
What evidence connects him to the firearms?
Why did prosecutors charge him with first-degree murder?
What role do investigators believe he played before, during and after the shooting?
And will the Illinois State Police crash investigation result in additional charges?
Until those questions are answered in court, the charges remain allegations.
Peoria Investigation Continues After Second Arrest
The arrest of Dorrean Ellis represents a major development, but it does not close the case.
Investigators are still examining the shooting.
Illinois State Police are still investigating the crash and pursuit.
Prosecutors are beginning the process of presenting their allegations against two defendants.
What began outside Vibez shortly before 3 a.m. on August 22 ultimately left two men dead.
Malik Pickett died after being shot multiple times.
Gary Traylor died after being struck by the fleeing vehicle.
Karon Hopkins was arrested first.
Dorrean Ellis has now become the second person arrested.
The next phase will happen in court.
There, prosecutors will have to move beyond preliminary allegations and demonstrate what they believe each defendant actually did.
Until that process is completed, both men remain presumed innocent of the charges against them.
Disclaimer
This article is based on information released by the Peoria Police Department, the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office and verified local reporting available as of September 2, 2026.
Dorrean Ellis and Karon Hopkins have been arrested and charged in connection with the events described above. Criminal charges are allegations, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Descriptions of surveillance footage, firearm evidence and the alleged actions of the defendants reflect statements made by police and prosecutors and should not be interpreted as independent findings of guilt.
The Illinois State Police investigation into the crash and pursuit remains ongoing. Charges, court dates and other details may change as the cases progress. This article may be updated when additional verified information becomes available.