The Champaign County Multi-Jurisdictional Investigative Team is continuing its investigation into a fatal shooting which occurred Wednesday, June 7, 2023, when Rantoul Police attempted to apprehend a person armed with a gun.
The Investigative Team is led by Illinois State Police investigators and is assembled to investigate any officer-involved shooting in accordance with Rantoul Police Department policy, according to Rantoul Police Chief Anthony Brown. He says the team will conduct interviews, collect evidence, and complete reports. A timeline for the investigation will depend on its complexity, said a news release from Chief Brown. Once all information is collected, the full report will be forwarded to the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office for review to determine whether officers involved acted in accordance with applicable laws. Additionally, an internal review will be conducted by the Rantoul Police Department to determine whether the officers acted in accordance with department policies on the use of force.
There were no officers shot.
Chief Brown says the preliminary investigation has determined the following:
On June 7, 2023, at approximately 12:27 p.m., Rantoul Police Officers located a vehicle in the 400 block of Campbell Avenue in Rantoul which had previously fled from officers in April. As an officer was exiting a squad car, the suspect exited their vehicle and a consensual conversation ensued. As the officer continued to talk with the suspect a large amount of cannabis packaged in several bags were noticed in the suspects vehicle. At that time, the front-seat passenger exited and began running from the vehicle. Besides the driver and front seat passenger there were no other occupants in the vehicle.
As the suspect was running, the officer observed a gun fall to the ground. The suspect turned around, picked up the gun, and then ran southbound through the residential area, according to the news release from the Rantoul Police Chief. As other officers arrived in the area they located the suspect running in the 400 block of Belle Avenue in Rantoul. As the suspect was running, officers observed that the suspect was armed with a handgun. The suspect fell to the ground and turned toward the officer with the gun still in their hand. One of the officers pursuing the suspect shot and struck the suspect with one round. Chief Brown added that after the suspect’s gun was secure, aid was rendered to the suspect by officers and AMT Ambulance when they arrived on the scene. The suspect was transported to Carle Foundation Hospital where he later died.
The identity of the decedent was not immediately released pending notification of next-of-kin. The identities of the officers involved in the incident will be released upon the release of the decedent’s identity, said Chief Brown. The officers involved in the shooting were not injured and are on administrative leave in accordance with standard department policy following an officer-involved shooting.
The driver of the vehicle involved in the original stop, Jheremia McKown, 20, of the 1100 block of Holiday Drive in Champaign, was arrested on multiple charges including Unlawful Use/Possession of a Weapon and Delivery of Cannabis. McKown struck the original officer in the face causing minor injuries that require further medical attention. Officers located two handguns inside the vehicle, a large amount of cannabis packaged for delivery, and a large amount of currency according to Chief Brown. He says the Rantoul Police Department is committed to transparency and releasing full details of the incident after the investigation is completed.
‘’We recognize that these preliminary details do not answer all the questions our community has, and we must let the CCMJIT’s investigation proceed so we can answer those questions,’’ said Rantoul Police Chief Tony Brown. ‘’We are committed to seeking out and providing those answers after a thorough and impartial investigation,’’ he added.
The Rantoul Police Department will provide additional details as deemed appropriate by the investigative team and the Champaign County State’s Attorney, added Brown.
‘’This is a difficult day for our community,’’ Brown said. ‘’Officers train for these kinds of scenarios continuously, but always hope to never find themselves in a real-life situation. The police department recognizes and understands the feelings of our community members, and that any serious use of force incident must be critically examined and scrutinized. We ask the community for patience during this process.’’
Rantoul Police are seeking any additional information, surveillance footage, or other evidence that community members may have. Witnesses are encouraged to contact the Rantoul Police Department or Illinois State Police.
