Authorities say an armed man who was fatally shot by a central Illinois police officer after fleeing a traffic stop has been identified as an 18-year-old local man
RANTOUL, Ill. (AP) — An armed man who was fatally shot by a central Illinois police officer after fleeing a traffic stop has been identified as an 18-year-old local man, authorities said Thursday.
Champaign County’s coroner said Jordan A. Richardson of Rantoul died at a hospital from a gunshot wound to the chest after being shot Wednesday by a Rantoul police officer. An autopsy was scheduled for Friday.
Richardson was the passenger in a car that was stopped Wednesday by Rantoul police, who found cannabis in the vehicle. Police said Richardson ran from the car, dropped a gun, then picked it up and continued running.
Police said Richardson then fell to the ground and turned toward an officer with the gun still in his hand, prompting that officer to fire a single shot, striking Richardson, The (Champaign) News-Gazette reported.
The officer who shot Richardson has been placed on paid administrative leave while the fatal shooting is investigated by police and the Champaign County state’s attorney’s office.
Rantoul Police Chief Tony Brown said his department was cooperating with a team of police officers from other jurisdictions who are reviewing the case. Illinois State Police are leading that investigation.
When the investigation is completed, its finding and evidence in the case will be forwarded to Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz for review.
Rantoul is about 110 miles (177 kilometers) south of Chicago.
Source: US.News
