Region/state digest 12/27/05

Police investigate shooting incident at Cairo

CAIRO, Ill. -- The Illinois State Police are working with the Cairo Police Department to investigate a shooting that occurred at 2:16 a.m. Sunday. The incident occurred in the street at the intersection of Fourth and Commercial streets. Four people were injured, one seriously. Anyone with information is asked to call either the Illinois State Police at (618) 845-3740 or the Cairo Police Department at (618) 734-2131.

Woman didn't swallow phone voluntarily

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. -- A woman who police thought purposely swallowed her cell phone during an argument with her boyfriend last week was likely assaulted, Blue Springs police said. The bizarre incident that sent a 24-year-old woman to the hospital is now being investigated as an assault and police have a suspect, Sgt. Allen Kintz said. "It appears she didn't voluntarily swallow this phone," Kintz said. "It's not quite the way it was first portrayed." Early Friday police responded to a call from a man who said his girlfriend was having trouble breathing. Police arrived to find a woman with a cell phone lodged in her throat.

-- From staff, wire reports