PEORIA, Ill. – The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office says police had “no choice but to use deadly force” in an officer-involved shooting in West Peoria.
The office’s final report on the July 21st shooting that left 46-year-old Donald Wilson dead was released Wednesday. The shooting occurred in the afternoon in the area of Sherman and Western.
The state’s attorney’s office says police were called to the area because Wilson was at the house of a person who had an order of protection against him. The homeowner also told police that Wilson had an arrest warrant out for him.
The report states that the first officer on the scene was familiar with the address, due to multiple order of protection issues between Wilson and the homeowner. The report states that there were at least 18 calls over the past several years between Wilson and the homeowner.
Police attempted to contact Wilson after he ran into a detached garage and locked himself inside it, refusing multiple orders to come out. The homeowner eventually provided a key to unlock the garage door.
Officers attempted to take Wilson into custody after he emerged from the garage, but Wilson ran back inside it and armed himself with a shovel. The report states that Wilson did not obey any commands by officers, and remained inside it.
Officers then observed a visibly angry and shouting Wilson holding an item on fire, and appeared to set the garage on fire. Wilson then eventually picked up a shovel and charged at police while swinging it after a taser was used unsuccessfully on Wilson, which led to an officer firing his weapon one time at Wilson.
Wilson immediately fell and officers administered first aid before he was taken to OSF Saint Francis, where he was pronounced dead.
The state’s attorney’s office concluded that the conduct by the officer who fired upon Wilson and led to his death was “justified, reasonable, and necessary” to protect himself and others. The report states the garage was “extremely cluttered” with a car and lawnmower inside it, along with other items, that did not leave much room to move around in.
A burnt substance was found on top of the lawnmower, which also had the gas cap removed, and a gray ‘BIC’ lighter was found under the lawnmower. The report says a knife was also found near the lawnmower.
The report from the state’s attorney’s office says the officer was “reasonable” in his belief that deadly force was necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself and others. It continued to say that Wilson was “uncooperative with law enforcement despite given every opportunity to comply.” It adds that Wilson continued to argue and escalate the situation.
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