CHILLICOTHE, IL – A police officer in north central Illinois was involved in a fatal shooting incident while responding to a case of a stolen vehicle, according to official reports on Wednesday.
The officer, affiliated with the Chillicothe Police Department, had reportedly identified a stolen vehicle and initiated a traffic stop around 10:20 p.m. on Tuesday. The situation escalated when the driver of the vehicle exited and engaged in a gunfight with the officer, as stated by the department on its social media page.
The deceased individual was identified by the Peoria County Coroner’s Office as Marvin Martin III, a 50-year-old resident of Peoria. The coroner’s office reported that Martin had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, resulting in his immediate death.
Martin, who was the only occupant of the stolen vehicle, had reportedly engaged in a gunfight with the officer, leading to his fatal shooting. The officer, whose identity has not been disclosed, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The Illinois State Police has taken over the investigation into the shooting incident. Chillicothe is located approximately 115 miles southwest of Chicago.