Decatur Man Seriously Wounded In Police-Involved Shooting
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A white Decatur police officer shot and seriously wounded a black man who was carrying a gun early Monday, police said.
Decatur police said, shortly after 1 a.m., officers responded to a call of a person with a handgun, and spotted a man matching the suspect's description. Decatur is located about three hours south of Chicago.
Authorities said the man was armed with a handgun and a knife, which was strapped to his wrist.
"We ask that everyone remain peaceful and reserve judgment until all of the facts are known," interim police chief James Getz said in a statement.
Police said, after the two officers responded, one of them shot the man in the chest. The man, a 40-year-old black male who lives in Decatur, was taken to the hospital in serious condition.
Decatur police said both officers are white. The officer who shot the man is a five-year veteran of the Decatur Police Department, police said.
The investigation has been turned over to Illinois State Police, which is standard practice in officer-involved shootings.
Decatur police said neither officer as equipped with a body camera, but the squad cars were equipped with in-car video, which will be reviewed to determine if the incident was captured on camera.
