Illinois State Police investigating officer-involved shooting in East St. Louis
Illinois State Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened Saturday in East St. Louis.
A man was shot after he refused to drop a weapon while fleeing from East St. Louis police. His injuries were not life-threatening, police said.
Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Elbert Jennings said the man, whose identity was not released, is not from East St. Louis and lives in the surrounding area.
According to a preliminary investigation, around 11:30 a.m., an East St. Louis officer tried to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation.
The driver refused to stop, and a chase began, according to police. During the chase, the vehicle struck a railroad crossing gate and came to a stop near the 1500 block of Baker Street.
Police said the driver fled on foot, before dropping a weapon and picking it back up. Officers then reportedly ordered the man to drop the weapon, which police said he refused to do.
Jennings said officers feared for their lives and shot the man. He was taken by ambulance to an area hospital.
State police said the man’s name is not being released due to pending investigation and potential charges being sought by East St. Louis police.
This story was originally published December 7, 2019 at 6:05 PM.
