O’Fallon officer who shot man armed with knife receives police union Valor Award

FEB. 4, 2026 1:40 P.M. This article was updated to clarify that FOP published its press release on Wednesday, but the award was presented last week.

An Illinois police union presented its Valor Award to an O’Fallon officer who last summer fatally shot a man during a domestic disturbance.

The Fraternal Order of Police issued a news release Wednesday, one day after Illinois State Police released body camera and dash cam footage of the fatal shooting of the 53-year-old man, who was carrying a knife as two women fled from him.

The Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement that it bestowed the honor on Officer Bret Johnson “for his actions last summer that saved the lives of two citizens.” It was presented to him during the O’Fallon Police Department’s annual awards banquet last week.

According to a release at the time, Johnson was on patrol around 7:45 p.m. Aug. 29 when dispatchers received a 911 call from “a frantic woman” involved in a domestic disturbance. Johnson arrived at the 600 block of West Madison Street and immediately saw the man, identified as Matthew Blanke of O’Fallon, in the front yard armed with a knife.

Two women, identified in Wednesday’s police union release as the man’s wife and stepdaughter, were running through the yard of a neighboring home, both bleeding from stab wounds.

“Officer Johnson immediately placed himself between the women and the armed man, drew his service weapon, and ordered the man to drop the knife,” according to the Fraternal Order of Police release. “The man ignored Johnson’s repeated commands and, with knife still in hand, came directly toward the officer, forcing Johnson to shoot the assailant to prevent further harm to the two women and himself.”

“Johnson and other arriving officers immediately began to render aid to the two women and the incapacitated man. Both women were transported to the hospital where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, while their attacker died at the scene.”

The FOP Valor Award was presented for Johnson’s “selfless bravery, quick judgment, and commitment to protecting others, which exemplifies the highest ideals of the policing profession,” the release stated.

Illinois State Police were called to investigate the shooting. In November, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office declined to file charges.

O’Fallon Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety Kirk Brueggeman said shootings are occurrences police officers try to avoid.

“It’s an unfortunate circumstance that was investigated by Illinois State Police,” he said. “(Johnson) acted according to his training and the law, and he was able to save two lives that day.”

State police on Tuesday released footage of the incident. The video, which is 7 minutes and 47 seconds long, contains some blurred images and a warning for graphic content. The Belleville News-Democrat published a version of the video with additional blurred images of the man’s body as he is shot and then given medical assistance.

The footage includes views from body-worn cameras and squad car dashboard cameras. The first view of the shooting is from the body camera of the officer who fired. The officer exits his vehicle and the man is seen in the front yard of a home. The two women are seen quickly moving away from the man and the yard.

“Hey, drop the (expletive) knife,” Johnson shouted.

The man continued walking toward the street as the officer shouted, “Drop the knife. Drop the.” The man was then shot multiple times and fell forward to the ground.

Officers are seen performing chest compressions on the man. Another view of the incident is shown from a dashboard camera.

The two female stabbing victims were transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening cuts and stab wounds.

Illinois State Police released the video as part of its “commitment to integrity and public transparency.”

BND reporter Mike Koziatek and Executive Editor Todd Eschman contributed information for this story.

This story was originally published February 4, 2026 at 1:03 PM.