The Macomb Police officers who were involved in the shooting that resulted in the death of a 57-year-old man and a 4-year-old will not face charges, as determined by the Illinois State’s Attorney Appellate Prosecutor.
In a letter addressed to the McDonough County State’s Attorney on July 8, Special Prosecutor Jonathan H. Barnard stated that he thoroughly reviewed the evidence and concluded that there is no legal ground to pursue any criminal charges against the officers involved in the unfortunate accident.
According to a statement by Macomb Police Chief Jeff Hamer, the Macomb Police Department recognizes the review by the State’s Attorney and intends to proceed with an internal investigation into the incident.
According to Hamer, the investigation will ascertain whether the incident was a result of police action or accidental, and whether it falls within the department’s jurisdiction.
The Command Staff of MPD will thoroughly review the recently released full investigation report from the Illinois State Police. Once the review is complete, the community will be updated accordingly.
According to MPD, they plan to release the body cam footage of the incident once they have consulted with the families of the victims.
According to Macomb Police, a domestic violence incident that occurred at around 10 p.m. on March 16 in Macomb resulted in the deaths of two individuals, one of whom was a child. The tragic event was reported on March 17.
According to the authorities, they were called to the 900 block of N. Charles Street to deal with an ongoing domestic violence situation.
Upon entering the apartment, the officers came across traces of blood in a communal area and could hear distress calls for assistance emanating from within the premises.
According to the police, a 36-year-old woman was stabbed multiple times and subsequently rushed to McDonough District Hospital for medical attention.
According to the police, they examined body-cam footage, witness interviews, autopsy reports, and evidence, all of which revealed that officers came into contact with a 57-year-old man named Anthony T. George, who was in possession of a knife.
The police have reported that George and the child were fatally wounded due to a shot fired by an officer.
After reviewing the case, McDonough County State’s Attorney Matthew Kwacala sought the assistance of the Illinois State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor’s Office to ensure that there was no conflict of interest. This was necessary due to the frequent interactions between Kwacala’s office and the MPD.