Brooklyn officer killed on McKinley Bridge after police chase
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Brooklyn police officer killed
A Brooklyn police officer was killed on the McKinley Bridge early the morning of Aug. 4. Read all the BND’s coverage here.
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Brooklyn officer killed on McKinley Bridge after police chase
Officer killed on St. Louis bridge had been with Brooklyn Police less than a year
Brooklyn Police mourn fallen officer: ‘He was the person you loved to be on your team’
Illinois State Police press release on incident that led to death of Brooklyn officer
Departments from across Illinois and the US send condolences to Brooklyn Police
A Brooklyn police officer is dead after he was struck by a car involved in a chase with officers early Wednesday, Illinois State Police confirmed.
The officer, whose name has not yet been released, was deploying spike strips on the McKinley Bridge about 3 a.m. when he was hit by a red Dodge Charger, police said.
The Charger was later found abandoned in Missouri. No other information is available pending further investigation, the state police said.
Less than an hour later, at 3:49 a.m., while the bridge was closed to traffic as investigators worked the scene, a gray Kia Optima drove through the roadblocks “at a high rate of speed.” It hit multiple police vehicles “and nearly struck multiple officers,” according to an Illinois State Police release.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Department says an exchange of gunfire with officers followed and that the driver of the Kia was hit and crashed into two state police cruisers.
All four occupants of the Kia were taken into custody, including the driver, who was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis is involved in the investigation, said Brooklyn Police Capt. Antonio White. White said the deceased officer was young and proud to work with the police department.
“He was a great young man ... very enthusiastic, the person you love to have on your team. He’d be there for you, even on his days off,” White said. “We are going to work along side the Major Case Squad and the Illinois State Police on this investigation. ...
“He’s very young, like I said, a very good young man. He always had your back. Police is what he loved. He’d arrive an hour, two hours before his shift just to get his day started. It will be a very great loss for us, for the community of Brooklyn and we extend our condolences to his family.”
This story was originally published August 4, 2021 at 9:22 AM.
