A man who police say shot himself in Danville Monday afternoon as officers approached him has died. Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup says the victim is 37-year-old Robert Mikesell of Cedar Rapids, Iowa who died at 5:40 p.m. Monday (April 2, 2018) at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. The Coroner says Mikesell’s death is the result of a reported self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Danville Public Safety Director Larry Thomason says officers were called to the Kohl’s Department Store along North Vermilion Street for a reported retail theft Monday afternoon. When officers arrived there shortly after 3:00 p.m. the suspect drove off, but then his pickup truck struck a nearby utility pole – according to police.
The suspect fled from his vehicle and into a field near WorkSource in the 3700 block of North Vermilion Street. Then, Director Thomason says the suspect pulled a weapon as officers approached and shot himself. ‘’The weapon was not pointed at officers,’’ added Thomason – who says no officers or anyone else was hurt.
Director Thomason says there were no shots fired by Danville Police, but Illinois State Police were contacted to assist in the investigation.
Coroner Northrup says an autopsy has been scheduled and an inquest may be held at a later date. He says the death is being investigated by the Champaign County Coroner’s Office and Illinois State Police.
