MCHENRY COUNTY, Ill. (WGN) – Four McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputies involved in a shooting that killed a man from unincorporated Crystal Lake have been cleared of any wrongdoing after an investigation into the incident.
On Thursday, body camera footage from the incident was released, along with 911 call audio. You can watch the full video here. Viewer discretion is advised.
Deputies were called to the 300 block of Briarwood Road on April 10 at around 4:20 p.m. for a report of a man who was intoxicated and threatening his family.
The woman told dispatch her brother, identified as 46-year-old Darrick Lawrence, had been “going insane,” was drinking, and threatening her parents. She also said there were guns in the home, and while she did not believe they were loaded, she was concerned because her brother knew where to find them.
Body camera footage from the scene showed deputies arriving to find Lawrence holed up in the bedroom of a home.
According to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, the deputy saw a rifle pointed at him as he approached the door and slightly pushed it open.
The suspect could be heard shouting, “You wanna die?”
Video released by police showed deputies attempting to persuade an older resident, identified as the suspect’s father, to leave the home. As they were doing so, Lawrence was captured on video continuing to make threats.
“Get the [expletive] out of my house right now or you’re dead,” Lawrence shouted.
According to police, as deputies continued to try and get the other resident to leave, Lawrence fired a shot.
Moments later, he could be heard shouting, “Go away right now or you’re [expletive] dead. Do I need to fire another shot?”
Because the suspect had barricaded himself in the home, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said its SWAT Team and Hostage Negotiation Team were called to the scene. They were in contact with the suspect for close to two hours, attempting to get him out of the home safely.
As detailed in the newly released video, the suspect extended the barrel of a shotgun out of a window and fired at deputies positioned next to an armored vehicle. In response, four deputies fired shots at the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to officials, a shotgun and rifle were recovered at the scene. Investigators also found damage to the armored vehicle at the scene, believed to be caused by gunfire from the suspect.
The investigation was turned over to the Major Investigation Assistance Team (MIAT), which conducted an independent investigation. The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office also conducted a legal review and deemed the investigation complete, the sheriff’s office said.
All four deputies previously placed on administrative leave were cleared to return to duty.
“The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to transparency and supporting our deputies, our community, and all those affected by this tragic incident,” a statement from the agency read.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
