PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — A prosecutor in central Illinois has determined that six police officers acted in self-defense when they fatally shot a suspected bank robber last fall.
The (Peoria) Journal Star reports that 25-year-old Eddie Russell Jr. was shot as many as 18 times as part of a two-hour standoff at his mother’s Peoria home as he approached officers with a weapon.
State’s Attorney Jerry Brady on Monday said the officers acted properly and didn’t use excessive force. He also found that Russell’s mental health could’ve played a factor in the September standoff.
Brady says police and others need to do more to ensure such a shooting doesn’t happen again.
Russell’s family has disputed the police account and called for further investigation into his death. Illinois State Police have conducted the post-shooting investigation as required by state law.
