Willie C. Evans, a 29-year-old African American man from Springfield, Illinois, was shot and killed on July 7, 2020. The shooting happened in the early morning after Evans attempted to forcibly enter a residence on North 11th Street. The homeowner, Martin A. Brown, shot Evans while inside the house. Evans was pronounced dead at HSHS St. John’s Hospital at approximately 4 a.m.; a preliminary autopsy attributed the death to a single gunshot wound to the upper torso.

Springfield Police investigated and determined the shooting was justified under Illinois’ Castle Doctrine because Evans was attempting violent entry. No charges were filed against Brown for the shooting itself; however, Brown was held in Sangamon County Jail on a separate issue of illegal possession of the firearm used. The case sparked local discussion about self-defense laws, gun possession, and the legal limits of protecting one’s home. Did anyone in Springfield know Evans or have information about the events that night?