DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) – Decatur Police have released more information on the officer-involved shooting in Decatur early this morning.
At 12:25 a.m. on Wednesday, police officials said officers made a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of North Walnut and East Lowber Streets. Officers were aware of information regarding the vehicle prior to the stop and ordered the driver to show his hands.
The driver was the sole occupant of the vehicle and refused to comply with the officer’s commands.
During the stop, one officer observed what was believed to be a handgun in the vehicle near the driver. The officers then attempted to remove the driver from the vehicle.
As the officers attempted to remove the suspect, police said he produced a handgun and fired multiple shots at close range. Officers then returned fire.
Police said the officers and the driver continued to exchange gunfire. Neighbors told WCIA reporters they heard dozens of shots at the time of the incident.
During the shootout, one officer was hit multiple times and another was hit once.
Officials said the officers that were shot were transported to Decatur Memorial Hospital by other officers on scene. One officer is in stable condition; the other is in serious, but stable condition and underwent surgery for their wounds.
The suspect was also shot multiple times. That suspect was transported by ambulance to DMH where he was pronounced dead. His identity has not been released yet.
In total, four police officers fired their guns during the incident. Three were from Decatur Police and one was from the Macon County Sheriff’s Office.
The Decatur Police officers involved in the incident will be placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure for this type of incident. Decatur Police have handed the investigation over to the Illinois State Police, which is also standard procedure for this type of incident.
A press conference is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. and will be streamed live on WCIA.com and on WCIA’s digital platforms, including Facebook and Twitter.
