Suspect dead, 2 Illinois cops wounded in exchange of gunfire
Police say a suspect in a domestic disturbance was fatally shot and two central Illinois police officers were wounded, one critically, in an exchange of gunfire
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A suspect in a domestic disturbance was fatally shot and two central Illinois police officers were wounded, one critically, in an exchange of gunfire early Wednesday, police said.
Champaign police said in a statement that two officers who were called to the scene of a domestic disturbance on the city's north side about 3:20 a.m. encountered an armed person after exiting their police cars and an exchange of gunfire followed.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, while both officers sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to a hospital. One officer was in critical condition and the other was stable, police said.
Champaign police did not immediately release additional details on the shooting in the city about 130 miles (209 kilometers) south of Chicago
A message seeking additional information, including whether the officers' body cameras captured the shooting, was left for police by The Associated Press.
The (Champaign) News-Gazette reported that the shooting occurred at an apartment complex and it came days after Champaign Police Chief Anthony Cobb said he feared a shooting involving police could happen as the city deals with escalating gun violence.
There have been about 85 reports of shots fired, and many injuries, in Champaign so far this year, the newspaper reported.
Champaign police said Illinois State Police will lead the investigation into the shooting, with assistance from Urbana police, the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office and the University of Illinois Police Department.
The Champaign Police Department’s officers were equipped with body cameras in 2017, and those cameras are activated when an officer responds to service calls or is engaged in any law enforcement-related encounter, according to information posted on the department’s website.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.