Editor’s note: The video at the bottom of the story is extremely graphic and may be upsetting to readers. The Journal Star is making it available to view for the sake of transparency, which is the same reason the Macomb Police Department shared it with media.
The Macomb Police Department on Monday released bodycam footage related to a police shooting that killed two people in March, including a 57-year-old knife-wielding man and a 4-year-old boy.
The shooting occurred around 10:15 p.m. March 16 when Macomb offers Nick Goc and Korri Cameron responded to reports of domestic violence at an apartment in the 900 block of North Charles Street in Macomb.
Background: Macomb officer not charged in ‘tragic’ shooting death of man and 4-year-old in Illinois
Video shows the deadly encounter at apartment
Upon arriving at the apartment, blood was visible on the walls of a stairwell, and officers heard a loud disturbance coming from inside one of the apartments, where a woman was screaming. The officers announced their presence and ordered the occupants to open the door. A woman inside could be heard screaming, “He’s stabbing me!”
The officers forcibly entered the residence, where they saw the woman suffering from multiple stab wounds and confronted a man brandishing two knives, according to police. The man has since been identified as Anthony T. George, 57, of Macomb. The woman emerges in the doorway at right of frame, telling officers “My son’s in there!” and “Help me.”
George, a knife visible in his left hand, refuses to comply with requests to drop his weapons, according to police. The video then shows him lunge out of sight and return holding a knife in each hand, including one to the throat of a 4-year-old boy, later identified as Terrell Miller, son of the stabbing victim. An officer discharged his firearm once, killing both George and Miller.
Previously: Child, 4, and 57-year-old man identified as two killed in Macomb police shooting
No charges for police officers in ‘tragic incident’
Last week, McDonough County State’s Attorney Matt Kwacala said a special prosecutor from the Illinois State’s Attorney Appellate Prosecutor’s Office found no basis for criminal charges against either of the officers.
According to Kwacala, Macomb police immediately contacted Illinois State Police to investigate the shooting. ISP collected evidence, interviewed witnesses and observed body camera footage. The special prosecutor, Jonathan H. Barnard, reviewed statutes, case law and use-of-force protocols.
“Based upon that review, I find that there is no basis for any criminal action or prosecution that is supportable under the facts of this case against any of the officers involved in this tragic incident,” Barnard said in a July 8 letter to Kwacala.
‘Where is the humanity?’ Reacting to release of the Sonya Massey bodycam footage
The release of the video comes amid increased scrutiny for police in Illinois after prosecutors in Sangamon County recently charged a sheriff’s deputy with three counts of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Sonya Massey on July 6.
“While the decision to release this footage is supported by our commitment to transparency, our hearts and thoughts remain with the families affected by this tragedy,” Macomb police said in a statement. “We will provide further updates at regular intervals until the internal investigation is complete.”
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Police reveal video of fatal officer-involved shooting in Illinois
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