Three Arrested in Rockford Firearms Investigation Linked to Robbery

A routine traffic stop quickly escalated into a major firearms investigation by the Rockford Police Department last week.

Armed Robbery Leads to Larger Firearms Probe

According to the press release, Rockford PD officers were on an unrelated traffic stop when they were flagged down by an armed robbery victim on Wednesday, May 14 (2025), just after 10 pm.

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The victim told police that a male suspect approached him, acting as if they had a gun, and stole the victim's wallet and phone, according to the report.

Suspects Were All Rockford Teens

During their investigation into the armed robbery, Rockford PD detectives identified the suspect as a 17-year-old male from Rockford.

They also confirmed that 18-year-old Elijah Moncure was present when the theft occurred.

Search Warrant Yields Ammo, Arrests Multiple Suspects

As part of the Rockford Police investigation, Violent Crime Detectives located a video showing the juvenile handling a firearm outside an apartment complex that detectives were able to identify.

According to the press release, a search warrant was then executed early the next day at that location, where Rockford Police found the 17-year-old suspect and 18-year-old Elijah Moncure.

A third individual, 18-year-old Dayviair Porter, was inside the apartment and was taken into custody for unrelated warrants.

During their search, live ammunition was found inside the residence, according to the Rockford PD report.

Charges Filed Following Investigation

The Winnebago County State's Attorney's Office reviewed the case and has authorized the following charges against the three teens:

• Juvenile Male, 17, Rockford: Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (Under 18), Illegal Possession of Ammunition, Possession of a Firearm without a Valid FOID.
• Elijah Moncure, 18, Rockford: Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (3 counts), Possession of a Firearm without a Valid FOID, Aggravated Domestic Battery (Warrant), Aggravated Battery (Warrant), Domestic Battery (Warrant).
• Dayviair Porter, 18, Rockford: Illegal Possession of Ammunition (Warrant), Criminal Trespass to Vehicles (Warrant), Resisting Arrest (Warrant), Illinois Department of Corrections Hold.

According to the press release, these charges are merely accusations, and all suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Additional charges may be coming as the investigation continues, and this story will be updated if more information becomes available from the Rockford Police Department.